B; 

LS97s 


.THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 

B 
:   L8975 

ILLINOIS  HISTORICAL  SURVEY. 


rJr 


'IKe  Fifth  Seal 


By  Kizzie  Huskinson  Shifflett 


Printed  and  Published  December,  1922,  by 
The  Edw.  F.  Hartmann  Co. 

219  South  Fifth  Street 
Springfield,  Illinois 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 


I 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

VII 

VIII 

IX 

X 

XI 

XII 

XIII 

XIV 

XV 

XVI 

XVII 


5 

11 
16 

27 

37 

53 

62 

77 

93 

100 

108 

120 

134 

153 

167 

182 

193 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Elijah  P.  Lovejoy 

The  Lovejoy  Monument  4 

Ancient  Cahokia 38 

Missouri  Hotel ~  -        -        -  45 

Landing  of  General  Lafayette 63 

The  Piasa  Bird        -        -        .....        -  103 

Old  Gilbert 115 

Joseph  Cromwell 118 

Lincoln  at  18                                    143 

The  Hand-Writing  of  Elijah  Lovejoy                            -  183 

The  Last  Hand  Press 188 

The  Ware-House  Where  Mr.  Lovejoy  Was  Killed        -  194 


!<1 

J 

*  *- 

-,  a 

"0 

> 


517253 


SYNOPSIS. 
"THE  FIFTH  SEAL." 

By   KIZZIE   HUSKINSON    SHIFFLETT. 
Author  of  "Sanona"  and  "Shakespeare's  Parallelisms." 

With  the  pendulum  swinging  back  eighty-four  years,  the 
time  seems  opportune  to  offer  to  the  public  much  that  has 
been  left  untold  about  "Elijah  Parish  Lovejoy"  and  his 
contemporaries  that  created  the  atmosphere  of  1820  and 
1837  through  religion  and  politics. 

The  Paracelsus  of  his  time,  Mr.  Lovejoy's  mission  quick- 
ened after  his  death  in  the  "Civil  War"  of  1860,  thus  plac- 
ing his  name  among  the  "Immortals." 

His  story  is  one  of  Biblical  character;  his  patience  en- 
dured to  the  end. 

"The  Fifth  Seal"  is  based  upon  the  constitutional  rights 
of  mankind,  regardless  of  race  or  color. 

The  Open  West  used  Cahokia  as  its  "Sesame"  for  human 
barter  of  flesh. 

"The  nefarious  traffic  will  never  cease,"  wrote  a  great 
Eastern  editor,  "until  an  Apostle  of  Liberty  expounds  what 
Jefferson  feared,  when  he  cried,  'I  tremble  for  my  country, 
when  I  think  of  a  just  God.' "  Mr.  Lovejoy,  the  man  of  the 
hour,  was  chosen  by  the  Emancipationists  to  further  their 
cause.  The  multi-colored  warp  of  people  webbed  "Pain- 
court"  into  a  scarlet  metropolis,  known  as  St.  Louis,  and 
hither  came  the  profound  Daniel  Webster,  the  melliferous 
Henry  Clay,  the  shadowy  Calhoun,  the  great  LaFayette,  the 
stentorian  Thos.  Benton;  while  quietly  rising  over  the  hor- 
izon of  a  new  day  came  the  stripling,  "Abe  Lincoln." 

"The  Hurrah  Boys,"  the  "Jack-Whetstones,"  utilized  the 
Mississippi  River  as  the  means  to  an  end,  seeking  the 
shelving  Indian  village  "Ouatogo"  and  calling  it  "Alton." 

Mr.  Lovejoy  came  West  as  a  Presbyterian  minister;  he 
died  the  Editor  of  the  famous  "Observer,"  that  declared 
"Slavery  was  a  heinous  crime,  that  affected  the  hearth- 
stone." 

Church  and  State  is  a  cynical  problem  which  time  has 
never  cemented;  transplanted  through  recognizable  pro- 
gression of  events,  and  educated  through  the  casting  aside 
of  cryptic  coloring,  the  crystal  vision  of  humanity  visualized 
America  chiseling  out  God's  image, — "Perfect  Man." 

Flitting  shadows  of  great  men  peopled  primeval  cabins, 
wherein  were  found,  a  great  coat,  a  Bible,  a  shooting- 
iron;  their  bent  of  pursuit  never  ceased  while  life  lasted. 

(*  "Whether  on  the  scaffold  high, 

Or  in  the  battle's  van; 
The  noblest  place  for  man  to  die, 
Is  'When  he  dies  for  man.' " 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 


The    Lovejoy    Monument    Erected    in    Alton 
City  Cemetery  by  the  State  of  Illinois 

Height,  93  feet;  cost  $30,000.00;  material,  granite 
and  bronze;  erected  1896-97,  by  State  of  Illinois 
and  Citizens  of  Alton. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  5 

CHAPTER  I. 

"Behold,  I  have  set  before  thee  an  open  door, 
and  no  man  can  shut  it." — Rev.  3-8. 

The  year  1816  chronicles  the  titanic  disaster 
of  the  good  ship  Sagunta,  as  it  neared  the  shelv- 
ing coast  of  Maine  ladened  with  a  valuable  car- 
go and  a  more  valuable  freight,  that  of  human 
lives. 

Word  of  mouth  has  handed  down  a  most 
graphic  story  of  the  terrific  tempest  that 
raged  on  land  and  sea  prior  to  its  arrival,  and 
the  alarm  that  filled  the  hearts  of  the  shoalars. 

Plowing  its  way  shore-ward,  the  gallant 
ship  suddenly  fell  into  a  deep  trough  of  death, 
where  it  wallowed  helplessly,  soon  sinking  from 
sight,  leaving  a  spiral  wave  for  its  winding 
sheet. 

"A  sea  wall;  a  sea  wall"  moaned  the  shoal- 
ars helplessly,  as  its  requiem  came  in  from  sea. 

All  night  long  a  sighing  wind  mourned  the 
dead,  and  when  morning  broke  the  sky  veiled 
its  face  with  an  intense  vapor  that  unwound  it- 
self from  the  north,  spreading  over  the  main- 
land w^ith  the  immensity  of  an  owl's  wing. 


\ 


6  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

So  great  was  this  tention,  that  it  finally  broke 
and  through  its  rents  millions  of  snow  feathers 
fell  upon  the  earth  in  dense  straight  lines, 
blanketing  all  habitation. 

Like  some  abandoned  creature,  the  storm 
sought  the  great  forests,  where  it  swayed  pine 
and  balsom  with  mighty  vigor  that  voiced  their 
agony,  in  groans  and  shrieks. 

Trappers  and  Woodmen  barred  their  doors 
strongly  and  kept  well  within. 

In  one  of  the  many  huts,  that  dotted  the 
wilds,  a  woodman  of  giant  sl&t^e  shivered  be- 
fore a  roaring  fire  of  pine  knots.  Fierce  gusts 
of  wind  rattled  casement  and  door. 

He  crept  closer  to  the  roaring  fire  mutter- 
ing; "The  Gobblins  do  hob-nob  the  night." 

A  savory  pottage  of  hominy  and  moose 
grease  simmered  on  the  iron  crane,  while  in  a 
far  off  corner  a  bundle  of  fragrant  arbor  vitae 
invited  repose. 

But  the  timid  woodman,  who  was  fearless 
without  in  time  of  danger,  shuddered  at  his 
own  shadow  and  reclined  on  a  handsome  pelt 
upon  which  the  fire  cast  a  satiny  sheen. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  1 

He  longed  for  human  companionship;  the 
needle-like  tap  of  the  treacherous  Indian  might 
come  at  any  time,  but  instead,  his  keen  ears 
heard  afar  off  a  voice  crying  "Vive,  Vive." 

To  unbar  the  stout  oaken  door  took  but  a 
moment,  and  to  rescue  the  well  spent  form  of  a 
Jesuit  from  the  fury  raging  without,  required 
but  little  effort  from  a  man  of  brawn  and 
muscle. 

"The  good  Patre"  cried  the  woodman  in 
joy,  and  his  laugh  rang  out  like  the  shaking 
of  the  boughs  without. 

Though  exhausted  by  his  struggle  with  the 
elements,  the  good  Patre  whispered  a  blessing, 
whereat  the  woodman  bent  his  head  meekly. 

"Pandora  opened  her  box  tonight;"  mur- 
mured the  Patre;  "and  word  was  brought  me 
of  a  ship  engulfed;  I  will  rest  over  night  ere 
I  go  on  to  rescue  souls.  In  the  voice  of  the 
storm,  I  heard  the  song  of  France  and  in  your 
beacon  light  shone  its  lily. 

Dry  my  cassock  in  the  fire's  heat  care- 
fully, for  it  is  old,  Son." 


8  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

4 'Take  in  its  place  my  handsome  pelt  good 
Patre,  it  will  warm  thee  like  needles  o  'fire. ' ' 

"Tempt  me  not,  for  my  vow  of  poverty  is 
ever  upon  me  and  yon  cassock  has  been  blessed 
by  the  'Holy  See,'  I  would  sup  a  bit  with  you 
woodman. ' ' 

After  warming  his  vitals  with  the  steaming 
broth,  the  good  Patre  fell  to  musing  aloud,  as 
he  rested  on  the  bare  floor;  "Tis  a  wandering 
Pilgrim's  bed"  answered  he  in  response  to  the 
woodman's  nod  in  the  direction  of  the  Arbor 
Vitae. 

The  fire  roared  louder,  sending  a  shower 
of  sparks  up  the  chimney's  blackened  throat 
and  gleamed  fitfully  upon  the  handsome  sheen, 
of  the  pelt,  causing  the  Patre  to  rub  its  gloss 
softly ;  soon  his  heart  expanded  into  that  confi- 
dence that  emulates  gratitude. 

Moving  quite  close  to  the  woodman,  he  took 
the  horny  right  hand  within  his  own,  touching 
a  brand  burnt  deeply  into  the  palm. 

For  a  moment  he  was  silent,  then  lifting 
his  eyes  heavenward  murmured:  "We  have 
all  sinned  in  the  sight  of  God;  but  to  him  that 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  9 

worketh,  comes  the  reward  not  reckoned  of 
grace  but  of  debt." 

* '  Woodman,  thou  hast  long  since  worked  out 
thy  ransom,  for  these  wilds  chronicle  not  time, 
which  runs  into  eternity." 

"Alas!"  replied  the  woodman  gruffly:  "I 
am  chained  to  labor.  I  am  naught  but  a  mere 
clod,  that  goes  back  to  earth." 

"But  you  are  helping  to  civilize  this  new 
country"  protested  the  good  Patre.  "The 
stretching  West  is  calling  for  men  of  brawn 
to  come  hither.  How  well  has  it  responded  to 
the  tricking  Napoleon,  with  its  unceasing  travel. 

There  the  Indian  has  lowered  his  tomahawk, 
but  not  his  eagle-feathers;  these  he  has  placed 
upon  the  head  of  the  exiled  son  of  Louis  the  six- 
teenth, whom  the  good  Josephine  helped  to  es- 
cape to  America. 

In  barbaric  guise  the  "king  of  France" 
awaits  Napoleon's  down  fall:  should  it  not 
come,  then  a  monastery  in  Europe  will  bless 
him. 

The  embargo  act  has  torn  into  shreds  all 
doubts  as  to  entailed  democracy.  Go!  wood- 


10  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

man  to  Father  Joseph,  whom  you  will  find  at 
the  gate-way  called  Cahokia ;  time  must  not  be 
allowed  to  stand  still,  when  Labor  can  chisel  its 
way. ' ' 

Droning  softer  and  softer,  the  Patre  soon 
fell  to  telling  his  beads,  while  the  woodman  sat 
with  mouth  agap,  picturing  the  fabulous  West. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  11 

CHAPTER  II. 

"Lowliness  is  young  ambition's  ladder." 

— Shakes. 

It  was  shortly  after  the  Revolution,  that  an 
exodus  of  people  sought  the  North  of  the  Com- 
mon-wealth, taking  with  them  as  leader,  Rev. 
Francis  Love  joy. 

The  wilds  of  Maine  called  loudly  for  labor's 
civilization,  such  as  brawn  of  muscle  alone  can 
perform. 

Exemplary  lives  form  simple  habits  and  ere 
long  the  good  Parson  encouraged  his  people 
to  build  rude  cabins  for  their  families.  Soon 
cabins  sprang  up,  boasting  of  neither  plane 
nor  square.  Their  over-lapping  logs  proved  to 
the  Parson  that  his  people  only  needed  the 
leasch  of  gentle  resolve  to  lead  them  into  the 
ways  of  civilization. 

His  own  cabin  was  built  of  well  seasoned 
timber  that  would  endure  a  century,  and  today 
it  stands  as  a  monument  in  Albion,  Maine. 

This  cabin  stood  in  the  midst  of  a  spacious 
clearing  that  was  mirrored  in  a  silver  lake, 


12  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

while  back  of  it  rose  the  blackness  of  a  mighty 
forest. 

Genuine  cheer  was  a  feature  of  this  settle- 
ment, for  a  great  coat,  a  shootin'  iron  and  the 
bible  formed  the  only  assets  of  a  family,  while 
its  guests  formed  its  ornaments. 

Respected  by  the  slinking  Indian  through 
fear,  the  Parson's  cabin  became  an  eye  of  men- 
ace, that  restrained  yet  protected  all  habitation 
there-about. 

The  life  of  a  pioneer  is  strenuous  at  its  best 
and  the  Parson's  vitality  finally  succumbed  to 
over-taxation;  but  ere  he  died  he  prayed  that 
his  mantle  might  fall  upon  his  grand-son  Elijah 
Parish  Love  joy. 

"He  had  not  lived  backward,"  'tis  said;  for 
he  had  put  on  the  breast-plate  of  Faith,  using 
the  helmet  of  Hope  for  salvation. 

It  was  from  this  stock  that  Elijah  Love  joy 
descended;  he  was  cradled  in  denial  and  gen- 
dered in  poverty;  but  he  had  a  spirit  that  held 
fast  to  that  which  is  good. 

Elijah  Lovejoy  was  a  son  of  destiny,  his 
sturdy  youth  was  his  lead-string;  bred  in  that 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  13 

era  of  Jeffersonian  laws,  which  sought  to  create 
a  new  America  by  stretching  the  neck  of  the 
constitution  by  an  authority  most  profoundly 
felt  and  often-resented,  it  is  little  wonder, 
that  life  was  singularly  fluent  with  mordant 
touches,  for  the  iron  collar  of  monarchy  still 
galled  the  unwilling  neck  under  the  guise  of 
republicanism  that  sought  to  bind  up  its 
wounds,  leaving  religion  to  wrestle  like  blind 
justice  with  persecution. 

The  key  that  would  unlock  the  situation  was 
education,  but  it  was  a  key  offered  to  but  few. 

The  forests  of  Maine  were  redolent  with  the 
life-giving  breath  of  Balsom  and  Pine ;  a  healthy 
body  creates  a  healthy  mind.  It  was  with  a 
brain  teeming  with  well  balanced  theories,  that 
Elijah  Lovejoy  became  a  student  of  earnest 
endeavor,  preferring  to  seek  the  root  of  all  se- 
quences. 

When  the  snows  of  winter  kept  him  housed 
and  time  hung  heavily,  he  would  set  his  mother's 
spinning  wheel  turning  with  a  zest  equal  to 
none,  while  the  two  engaged  in  earnest  conver- 
sation. 


14  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

At  such  times  he  felt  keenly  the  sharp  barb 
of  disappointment  twisting  his  vitals,  for  he 
knew  his  well  thumbed  books  would  not  admit 
of  further  study ;  * '  Their  print  is  gone  mother. ' ' 
But  the  pioneer  mother  was  a  woman  of  far 
fetched  vision ;  she  had  ever  a  fund  of  anecdotes 
ready  to  relate,  so  the  youth  was  told  of  his 
sturdy  scotch  ancestors,  who  never  failed  in 
duty,  though  their  lives  were  fraught  with  great 
dangers.  "There  the  heather  blooms  and  this- 
tles chasten  with  stinging  reproach." 

"Better  had  I  lived  in  the  land  o'  cakes,  as  a 
hewer  o'  wood  or  carrier  o'  water,  for  life  then 
had  neither  zenith  or  twilight.  Virgil  you  and 
I  must  part,  I  can  no  longer  read  thy  lines" 
fingering  the  worn  ecalogue. 

"There  is  good  Uncle  George"  suggested 
his  mother  solicitiously ;  "he  will  warm  the  co- 
des of  thy  heart,  and  minister  to  thy  intellect 
with  well  worded  advice;  and  his  abundant  li- 
brary is  ever  at  the  disposal  of  whomsoever 
seeks. ' ' 

"I  had  thought  of  him"  replied  the  youth 
thoughtfully,  "when  the  storm  abates,  and  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  15 

snow  packs  I  will  go  to  him  for  my  intellectual 
food;  shall  I  blame  old  Neptune  for  giving 
Uncle  George  his  library,  which  he  has  so  care- 
fully garnered  up.  Mother  I  shall  wind  you  flax 
a  plenty"  and  seizing  the  distaff  he  filled  it  to 
its  full:  "Now  thou  hast  flax  such  as  inspired 
Sir  Phillip  Sidney  to  write,  'I  will  make  of  him 
an  Amazon,  a  distaff er,  a  spinner'." 

The  mother's  reply  was  a  smile  "Thy  green 
bay  rush  is  well  dipped  for  thee :  give,  diligence 
to  thy  faith,  for  poverty  was  never  meant  to 
be  an  Egyptian  task-master;  he  who  has  pa- 
tience can  have  what  he  will;  Uncle  George 
still  hopes  to  build  his  sea-wall  off  the  shoals, 
eked  from  his  savings,  that  sea-faring  people 
may  be  rescued." 

"When  I  think  of  his  years  of  patience,  I 
am  clothed  with  humility,  for  such  endeavor  is 
a  heritage  of  God." 

With  chastened  spirit,  the  youth  climbed  to 
his  loft,  where  he  gave  friendly  greeting  to  three 
companions :  viz ;  a  Greek  testament,  a  dog  eared 
volume  of  Horace  and  Johnson's  dictionary. 

Thus  like  Enoch  of  old  he  continued  to  grow 
in  grace  and  understanding. 


16  THE   FIFTH   SEAL. 

CHAPTEE  III. 

"Forests  are  privileges  of  nature."- — Dryden. 

A  storm  presents  a  strange  phenomena  of 
havoc  and  destruction  followed  by  sudden  calm 
and  serenity ;  such  was  the  case  of  a  weeks  de- 
vastation, that  jeweled  the  ground  and  inter- 
laced the  trees  with  beauty.  A  few  days  later 
Elijah  Lovejoy,  with  a  feeling  of  youthful  ex- 
pectancy, carefully  adjusted  his  compass  and 
strapped  his  snowshoes,  preparatory  to  depar- 
ture at  daybreak. 

The  dog  star,  the  almanac  of  ancient  Egypt, 
shone  brightly  in  the  sky,  the  air  was  crisp,  and 
the  snow  so  well  packed  as  to  accelerate  pro- 
gress :  the  heart  of  the  forest  wras  soon  reached, 
there  it  became  necessary  to  unbuckle  the  snow- 
shoes  and  proceed  cautiously  on  foot,  for  the 
well  browsed  tree  trunks,  indicated  to  the 
traveler  that  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cari- 
bon  and  the  moose.  He  knew  the  Indian  was 
not  far  off  and  was  therefore  not  at  all  sur- 
prised to  behold  a  fierce  red  countenance  peer- 
ing up  at  him  from  some  underbrush. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  17 

'  *  Come  forth  Deer-foot ' '  cried  he. 

At  his  bidding,  an  Indian  sprang  nimbly 
out,  placing  his  finger  on  his  lips. 

The  traveler  drew  forth  his  birch  whistle 
and  blew  a  shrill  blast;  "ugh,  ugh,  ugh,  ooo, 
oooo." 

The  echo  came  full  a  mile  away,  and  in  a 
twinkling  a  great  crashing  was  heard  among 
the  underbrush. 

With  shooting  iron  well  in  hand  the  traveler 
awaited  the  coming  of  his  game;  there  was  a 
ponderous  lunge  and  an  immense  moose  burst 
into  sight,  with  antlers  well  lowered. 

It  was  a  magnificent  specimen  of  God's  own 
horse,  but  with  all  its  powerful  strength,  the 
moose  is  a  very  timid  creature  and  readily 
scents  danger.  In  turning  to  flee,  it  presented 
to  the  hunter  its  most  vulnerable  part,  the 
shoulder. 

The  shot  that  rang  out  found  its  target,  for 
with  a  terrific  snort  the  animal  lunged  forward 
dead. 

Swift  as  a  panther,  the  Indian  rushed  to- 
ward the  carcass  and  began  to  slash  off  great 


18  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

hunks  of  red  meat,  while  Elijah  Lovejoy  hasten- 
ed to  a  nearby  hut  where  his  tinder  soon  started 
a  brisk  fire;  soon  a  savory  joint  was  roasting 
on  the  spit  and  ere  long  the  strange  companions 
were  eating  of  a  most  toothsome  dish;  a  third 
party  joined  them  without  any  formality  be- 
yond that  of  greeting :  it  was  the  woodman,  who 
had  returned  from  a  journey  into  the  forest, 
carrying  on  his  shoulders  a  huge  bundle  of  pine 
fagots  which  he  threw  without ;  tempted  by  the 
savory  odor  within,  without  more  ado  he  en- 
tered and  fell  to  eating. 

The  Indian  was  the  first  to  eat  his  fill ;  with- 
out even  a  grunt  of  farewell,  he  slunk  away  in- 
to the  shadows  of  the  forests,  carrying  with  him 
the  hunter's  trophy,  the  handsome  pelt. 

When  the  woodman  discovered  his  loss,  his 
rage  knew  no  bounds ;  such  was  his  profanity, 
that  the  Christian  youth  harshly  reproved  him. 

''Woodman,"  said  he  sternly  "Blaspheme 
not,  for  time  is  not  long  since,  when  for  every 
oath,"  a  can  o'  water  was  poured  down  thy 
sleeve  and  thy  ears  even  split;  "the  Indians 
once  saved  Jamestown  from  starvation:  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  19 

Indian  is  a  child  of  nature,  knowing  not  the 
whiteman's  creed — 'thou  shalt  not  steal;'  in 
these  wilds  every  thing  is  in  common,  nothing 
in  general.  The  Indian  is  more  of  a  Christian 
than  thou  art,  for  he  never  denies  his  creator  as 
thou  hast  done." 

The  solemn  voice  and  convincing  manner  of 
this  young  apostle  soon  brought  the  contrite 
woodman  to  his  knees;  "And  I  promised  the 
good  Patre  to  be  patient,"  cried  he:  "Aye! 
sire,  thy  good  Grand-sire  stands  afore  me  in 
thee;  his  words  ar'  yourn:  see  yon  twig  forks 
on  shelf,  see  yon  birch  plates,  and  pewter  cup : 
they  ar'  hisn,  'waitin'  his  commin;  tho  I  knows 
he  be  dead  many  a  year." 

Tears  checked  further  utterance;  "Verily 
his  spirit  has  never  left  thee  woodman"  an- 
swered his  mentor  gravely. 

"Twas  in  the  year  1790,  that  thy  Gran-sire 
came  ter  th'  shoals"  went  on  the  woodman,  now 
in  retrospective  mood,  "I  wuz  kow  constable, 
an'  keeper  o'  seal;  and  I  wuz  doin'  many  a  law- 
less thing  ter  pay  off  my  ransom:  th'  Parson 
sent  me  inland,  an  here  I've  liv'd  these  years 


20  THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 

an  my  ransom  is  still  on  me ;  I  look  on  thee,  ez 
I  look  en  thy  Gran-sire,  an  I  hop'd  ter  send 
th*  pelt  ter  Uncle  George,  seein'  yer  goin'  hisn 
way. ' ' 

"I  will  tell  him  of  thy  gift  and  how  thy 
feet  were  shod  with  preparation.  The  grace 
of  God  be  with  you  and  understanding  be  thine 
in  his  good  time:  but  I  am  in  a  strait  to  go 
hence :  f are-thee-well  woodman. ' ' 

"The  Indian  knows  not  how  to  interpret 
Elliot's  bible,  and  Mugwamp  depends  too  large- 
ly upon  the  white  people  to  instruct  his  uncer- 
tain tribe,"  thought  Elijah  Lovejoy  as  he  fol- 
lowed a  circutious  route  toward  the  east,  where 
it  ended  at  a  heap  of  stones  placed  in  the  form 
of  a  cross ;  it  was  at  this  point  that  all  travelers 
tarried  to  refresh  the  inner  man;  for  within 
the  decaying  trunks  of  many  trees  were  found 
birch  berries,  solemn  seal  and  moose  berries 
aplenty,  exemplifying  that  life  never  perishes. 

Many  travelers  blessed  the  good  Patres  for 
keeping  up  the  grave  of  "  Francis  Champe- 
.siane"  by  making  it  into  a  blessed  shrine, 
where-at  the  weary  body  was  refreshed. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  21 

From  this  abiding  place  could  be  seen  a 
far  off  promitory,  upon  which  grew  a  tall  pine 
tree;  within  its  long  bare  branches,  the  hunter 
knew  a  bald  eagle  had  held  its  eyre  full  fifty 
years:  he,  therefore  respected  its  age  and  it 
remained  unmolested. 

This  land  mark  was  however  the  entrance 
way  to  the  shoals,  where  Uncle  George  lived  on 
a  shelving  promitory. 

Uncle  George  was  not  only  a  man  of  keen 
vision,  but  a  doer  of  deeds ;  he  had  great  faith 
in  the  youth  of  America,  feeling  that  they  would 
plane  down  the  rough  edges  of  crude  civiliza- 
tion, and  perhaps  even  square  the  circle. 

Where  he  came  from,  was  never  known, 
much  less  asked  about :  suffice  it  to  say,  he  was 
part  and  parcel  of  those  strenuous  days,  when 
such  men  were  staunch  and  true. 

He  possessed  a  wonderful  library,  which  he 
gladly  loaned  to  any  student;  he  encouraged 
construction,  tho  it  found  habitation  in  smoky 
cabin;  his  great  desire  was  to  erect  a  sea-wall 
to  succor  incoming  vessels  in  time  of  storm. 

This  object  was  not  achieved  however  until 


22  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Uncle  George  had  reached  the  ripe  age  of  Sixty 
years. 

His  companions  were  an  old  retainer  and  a 
dozen  snout-pitted  dogs,  that  were  ever  ready 
to  rush  forth  at  the  sound  of  a  birch  horn 
across  the  waters,  where  a  batteau  was  always 
waiting  for  the  transient  visitor. 

"They  are  children  of  the  soil,  these  dogs" 
laughed  Uncle  George  fondly  patting  their 
heads  in  turn.  "Were  they  smocked,  they  could 
not  be  more  full  of  joyous  impulse. ' ' 

Locked  arm  and  arm  with  his  guest,  Uncle 
George  felt  the  bouyant  strength  of  young  life 
pervade  his  being,  for  he  predicted  a  career  for 
Elijah  Lovejoy,  and  great  was  his  joy  at  be- 
holding the  youth  again. 

With  deepest  feeling  he  related  the  death 
of  the  good  ship  Sagunta  some  time  since. 
"Not  a  soul  on  board  was  saved,  naught  but 
splinters  of  mahogany  timbers  washed  ashore; 
Yet  I  am  not  the  man  to  accuse  Neptune  un- 
justly in  making  ship-wrecks;  what  is  sadly 
needed  here  is  a  sea-wall,  a  sea-wall;  the  sea 
keeps  its  secrets  securely,  yet  it  has  "a  snatch 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  23 

of  honor"  in  it,  for  it  washes  in  a  sequence  of 
its  story. 

Sometime  the  waves  of  sound  will  be  studied 
and  the  sound  of  waves  heeded;  the  rain-bow 
gives  its  warning  in  the  morning  as  it  gives  de- 
light in  the  evening  to  the  sailor. 

A  smear  o '  light  may  be  a  bit  o '  phosphoric 
atmosphere,  but  it  is  called  at  sea  "St.  Elmo's 
Fire,  such  as  fore-runs  disaster.  But  here  we 
are  at  mine  cabin,  and  its  high  hanging  horse- 
shoe bids  you  welcome. ' ' 

"Uncle  George's  smile  of  wholesome  cheer 
could  win  a  battle,  for  he  gives  me  the  confi- 
dence of  an  army"  thought  the  youth  gazing 
fondly  around  the  inviting  interior. 

From  the  tiny  windows  could  be  seen  an 
abundant  orchard  in  season,  with  a  wind-mill 
that  shifted  just  right  to  grind  corn  in  plenty 
and  to  spare ;  Surely  Uncle  George  was  blessed, 
notwithstanding  his  isolation. 

His  December  of  life  understood  the  May  of 
youth,  for  his  tact  was  much  like  the  reasoning 
found  in  the  philosophy  of  heaven  and  earth, 
such  as  Epicurus  taught  in  his  porch  philoso- 
phy, or  Aristotle  in  his  Lyceum. 


24  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

For  a  table,  Uncle  George  used  a  stout  hick- 
ory chair,  arranged  with  folding  wings;  for 
space  was  limited  in  the  cabin  and  his  large 
library  filled  one  end  completely. 

His  old  retainer,  brought  in  an  abundance 
of  shad  and  mountain  berries,  flanking  all  with 
a  bit  of  salmon  to  tickle  the  appetite. 

In  the  meantime,  Uncle  George  was  busy  tal- 
lowing an  extra  pair  of  stout  hide  boots,  which 
he  handed  to  one  of  the  canines  to  place  exactly 
on  the  crack  of  the  floor.  "I  have  trained  each 
dog  to  work  Elijah,  for  I  am  Bourbon  enough  to 
be  like  Benj.  Franklin,  'I  believe  in  trained 
labor,'  that  begets  will  power;  plantin'  corn  does 
not  require  brains,  says  Parson  Parish,  but  the 
making  of  history  does ;  the  Parson  was  tarry- 
ing a  fortnight  ago  with  me,  and  his  last  words 
to  me  were  about  his  old  friend's  son  'Elijah 
Lovejoy;'  'Monmouth  college  is  opening  wide 
her  doors  for  such  as  he,'  says  the  Parson;  I 
thank  my  God  for  knowing  his  remembrance, 
for  he  has  a  discerning  spirit  that  understands 
much  and  a  discreet  tongue  that  holds :  now  how 
many  hymns  Elijah,  eh?" 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  25 

"One  hundred  and  fifty  sir"  answered  Eli- 
jah, modestly  adding  "and  one  hundred  and 
nineteen  psalms  and  thirty  hymns  on  my  way 
here,  seeing  it  was  a  long  tramp  and  tiresome, 
sir. ' ' 

"Fine  lad,"  cried  Uncle  George  with  a  re- 
sounding slap  on  the  broad  shoulders  of  the 
youth;  "I  told  the  Parson  you  were  first  in 
Spellin'  Bees,  strong  enough  to  swim  a  lake 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  wide  without  so  much 
as  breathing,  and  daring  enough  to  dive  to  a 
depth  of  fifteen  feet,  where  mud  and  clams  sig- 
nal danger." 

"That's  the  lad  to  become  a  leader  of  some 
cause,  for  he  won't  swamp  in  the  slough  of  dis- 
pair."  cried  the  Parson. 

The  speaker's  voice  had  in  it  the  confidence 
of  old  age,  and  as  Elijah  Lovejoy  turned  to  his 
fine  library  with  the  hope  of  finding  what  he 
sought,  his  face  lit  up  with  such  joy  that  Uncle 
George  smiled  indulgently,  "He  that  has  pa- 
tience can  have  what  he  wills." 

Uncle  George  was  a  man  of  homely  harmony 
and  great  heart ;  his  association  caused  many  a 


26  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

youth  to  arouse  dormant  powers  into  activity. 
"My  religion,"  said  he  "is  not  one  that  uses  the 
cross,  for  that  savors  of  popery ;  my  religion  is 
this:  'Give  me  this  day  my  daily  work'." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  27 

CHAPTER  IV. 
"The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall  not  want." 

Unfamiliar  youth  looks  upon  the  world  as  a 
mysterious  romance,  so  enthralled  is  the  being 
with  hazardous  adventure,  that  it  knows  no 
medium  between  plenty  and  hardship. 

Many  pioneers'  sons  struggled  through  col- 
lege, but  more  staid  without.  College  men 
hewed  their  way  through  byways  and  hedges 
into  political  or  religious  life,  by  using  extraor- 
dinary reasoning  powers  called  independent 
thought. 

Monmouth  college  was  a  well  known  educa- 
tional centre  of  quite  stern  ferule,  for  it  boasted 
of  giving  measure  for  measure  and  also  declar- 
ed it  would  sift  the  chaff  from  the  wheat. 

The  collegiate  torch-light  procession  was  an 
oasis  in  the  later  life  of  many  a  student,  and 
the  chant  of  "The  Lord  is  my  shepherd" 
brought  to  memory,  a  line  of  singing  students 
five  hundred  strong,  marching  with  joyous 
swing  to  their  audience  hall.  There  the  Pector's 
rugged  face  bowed  sedately  in  answer  to  salute. 


28  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

his  grey  hair  was  held  well  back  from  his  lofty 
forehead  by  a  huge  black  bow,  which  added  to 
the  whiteness  of  his  snowy  kerchief. 

A  few  diaries  held  excerpts  of  his  speech, 
which  was  ever  freighted  with  patriotism. 
"Fellow  students"  said  he  *' since  our  hearts 
are  united  in  one  cause,  we  though  individual 
sovereigns  engrave  the  Golden  Rule  of  fraternal 
virtue  on  the  future,  with  the  knowledge  that 
man  is  immortal  as  long  as  his  name  is  remem- 
bered: the  man  that  fails  in  the  middle  of  a 
career  cannot  make  land  on  either  side.  God 
has  given  different  arts  to  each  just  as  he  has 
complexions  and  customs ;  let  us  therefore  have 
mercy,  without  which  all  must  perish  and  the 
soul  of  bounty  die;  let  us  remember  the  signi- 
ficance of  our  country's  emblem  made  up  as  it 
is  from  the  smoke  of  battles  and  the  blood  of 
heroes;  was  it  not  the  shred  of  an  old  shirt 
that  unfurled  from  Fort  Stanwix  the  message 
of  freedom? 

Freedom  is  an  immortal  truth,  that  says  all 
men  are  equal;  in  it  is  the  subtile  magic  of  the 
lost  sapphire,  which  tradition  declares  will  emit 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  29 

the  fiery  glow  of  the  ruby,  when  worn  next  to 
a  beating  heart." 

The  Pector  paused  "ran  the  words,"  and 
picked  up  the  traditional  feathered  quill,  which 
he  stripped  of  its  beard.  Thus  he  gave  interval 
for  free  speech. 

A  student  by  the  name  of  Elijah  Lovejoy 
arose :  he  is  a  fellow  of  dark  and  rugged  mein, 
full  of  serious  endeavor  and  of  great  reasoning 
powers;  he  is  of  rather  singular  intent:  "Fel- 
lows, let  me  remind  you  that  it  is  our  Pector 
who  molds  our  life  and  purpose.  His  is  the 
beating  heart  against  which  lies  the  Jewel. 

Though  the  future  with  obscure  wing  scouts 
us  with  uncertainty,  let  us  ever  seek  that  scope 
of  line  that  most  affects  humanity,  and  become 
apostles  of  some  fixed  cause,  from  which  we 
will  never  turn  back. 

'  So  near  is  grandeur  to  our  dust 
So  near  is  God  to  man: 
When  duty  whispers  low  '  Thou  must, ' 
The  youth  replies  'I  can'." 

Many  fingers  scribbled  this  fellows  words 
ere  the  Pector  spoke  again:  "Bead  the  holy 


30  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

scriptures, '  Seek  and  ye  shall  find. '  The  Amer- 
ican house  of  Stuarts  believes  in  our  college 
axiom;  'Fear  not  little  flock,  it  is  your  father's 
good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom'.  How 
you  will  interpret  it,  the  future  alone  will 
determine.  All  patriots  believe  in  yon  Flag 
sketched  by  Betsy  Boss  and  autographed  by 
George  Washington,"  pointing  to  a  faded 
sketch  on  the  wall,  "Time  has  sadly  discolored 
it  but  its  theology  remains  as  great  as  it  is 
simple,  for  years  have  added  to  its  truth." 

The  early  college  duly  impressed  every  stu- 
dent with  the  value  of  upholding  constitutional 
rights,  for  the  times  were  of  great  economic 
stress  and  the  common-wealth  was  becoming  in- 
fected by  the  canker  worm  of  unrest. 

Each  student  therefore  knowing  that  mat- 
ters of  deepest  concern  awaited  the  educated, 
mapped  out  a  career  long  before  he  bade  his 
college  farewell ;  never  considering  the  scales  of 
justice  very  often  weighed  heavier  on  his  own 
side. 

Colonization  might  disseminate  economic 
distress,  were  elective  leaders  sought. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  31 

Now  the  aristocrat,  when  denied  luxury 
grows  antagonistic  to  some  extent;  he  is  often 
a  radical,  often  a  sluggard;  perchance  he  is  an 
exponent  of  feudalism,  whom  the  autocratic 
master  sought  to  enthrall  into  his  own  way  of 
thinking  by  allowing  him  apparent  power  with- 
out thought  of  longevity  or  thought  of  right. 
For  principles  of  reform  have  been  tutored  to 
him  in  a  most  pleasing  manner.  The  aristocrat 
is  a  numeral  in  the  line  of  arimathical  progres- 
sion. This  the  mob  adores  and  bows  to,  in  their 
own  manner. 

During  such  times,  colleges  should  gender 
thoughts  that  will  construct  rather  than  destroy 
civilization. 

In  the  history  of  early  American  life,  col- 
leges fostered  students  with  the  contagion  of 
reform;  curiosity  drove  the  masses  to  the  me- 
tropolis New  York,  where,  with  bated  breath, 
they  listened  to  heated  arguments  on  coloniza- 
tion and  the  expansion  of  the  far  West.  Aboli- 
tion was  showing  its  fearsome  face,  hallowed 
by  no  saintly  fire.  Slavery  was  retarding  civ- 
ilization and  would  cripple  the  West.  John  Jay 


32  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

had  finally  succeeded  in  abolishing  slavery  in 
New  York,  but  its  rank  seed  had  blown  else- 
where and  was  blossoming  forth.  Elijah  Love- 
joy  was  an  apt  pupil  and  a  better  follower;  he 
was  not  alone  a  deep  thinker  but  he  was  an  in- 
defatigable enthusiast.  He  was  zealous  in  all 
undertakings,  he  was  a  true  disciple  of  Christ. 
He  was  like  a  blade  of  flame  that  burns  it§  way 
through  a  debris  of  rubbish,  voicing  its  de- 
calogue in  fire  as  God  once  spake  to  Moses  on 
Mount  Sinai. 

Listening  to  the  profound  Daniel  Webster 
deliver  his  famous  Plymouth  oration,  with  the 
public  he  partook  of  their  astonishment,  when 
gazing  at  the  long  shaking  finger  of  John  Ran- 
dolph pointing  to  the  black  menace  in  the  Amer- 
ican sky.  Eumors  floated  around,  about  the 
puritan  with  a  black  leg:  was  it  Henry  Clay? 
than  whom  no  one  was  more  loved.  Calhoun 
was  beseiged  to  become  a  centralization  instru- 
ment, but  he  refused;  abstract  principles  of 
abolition  and  convention  began  to  open  the  poli- 
tical eyes  of  Philadelphia  in  amazement,  when 
Lane  seminary  broached  ideas  that  boded 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  33 

neither  good  nor  yet  evil  tendencies.  The  un- 
explainable  Cox  greatly  mismanaged  his  coloni- 
zation society,  causing  Thomas  C.  Brown  to  re- 
tract all  details  concerning  the  colony  of  Li- 
beria, so  that  mecca  of  Louis  Tappin  was  never 
reached. 

Men  matured  with  too  much  reasoning  ap- 
pealed wildly  to  susceptible  youths  whose  un- 
tutored minds  garnered  up  both  wax  and 
honey. 

Often  vantage  ground  was  gained  through 
threats  and  even  violence.  The  times  were 
smoking  with  volcanic  eruptions,  from  which 
arose  the  cry  "Missionaries  must  be  sent 
West." 

Eev.  Salman  Gidding  had  undertaken  that 
arduous  trip  many  years  previous,  and  he  wrote 
for  men  of  talent  to  come  hither  to  ''Paine 
Court;"  "for  it  has  only  one  school  teacher  by 
name  of  Col.  Shepherd.  Paine  Court  is  rapidly 
growing  into  a  metropolis  and  will  soon  be 
called  St.  Louis." 

The  waterways  insured  progress  and  the 


34  THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 

fertile  soil  along  the  great  Mississippi  river  en- 
dured four  seasons  of  culture. 

Emigrants  quickly  took  to  the  trail  and  Mr. 
Love  joy  was  not  long  in  arranging  to  go  hither. 

He  was  somewhat  like  Ixion  embracing  a 
cloud,  but  it  was  a  cloud  of  mighty  concern ;  an 
imminent  lawyer  urged  the  missionary  on  his 
way  saying:  "The  East  will  decay  your  ener- 
gies; for  long  before  my  youth  I  was  old,  and 
now  though  still  young,  I  am  spoken  of  as  one 
in  his  dotage  because  I  can  look  ahead  and  dare 
to  tell  the  truth  of  things  as  they  are. ' ' 

When  spring  opened  up  the  emigrants  trail 
with  blossoming  beauty,  Mr.  Lovejoy  went 
west,  crossing  mountainous  Pennsylvania,  flat 
Indiana,  and  the  muddy  Wabash,  where  he 
fell  in  with  Geo.  Flower  and  Morris  Birbeck, 
who  were  establishing  moravian  settlements 
there. 

Throughout  his  journey,  Mr.  Lovejoy  treas- 
ured up  his  observations,  much  as  did  Pharaoh 
his  garnered  corn;  for  he  believed  God  was 
logician  enough  to  reason  with  human  beings 
through  mathematics,  and  chronicle  eternity 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  35 

through  astronomy,  botony  and  geology,  for  in 
none  of  these  do  we  find  grammatical  error, 
since  there  is  as  great  a  factor  in  the  maximum 
of  care  as  there  is  in  the  minimum  of  error. 

When  light  thickened  the  early  dawn,  he  be- 
held in  its  circle,  the  sacred  symbol  of  cause 
and  effect  with  God  sitting  in  the  midst ;  truly, 
Isaiah  saw  aright. 

It  was  near  the  close  of  Autumn  when  he 
reached  his  journey's  end;  deciduous  leaves 
covered  southern  Illinois,  which  had  just  been 
admitted  as  a  free  state.  (1818,  according  to 
the  ordinance  of  1787.) 

It  was  here  that  Mr.  Lovejoy  encountered  a 
runaway  slave,  who  was  hiding  among  dense 
foliage,  such  as  old  plants  affect.  But  the  old 
negro  wore  no  Plato's  helmet,  for  his  white 
wooley  head  was  plainly  seen  and  it  required 
much  gentle  coaxing  to  make  him  emerge  there- 
from; "Whar  de  dawgs  Massa,  dey  hav  a  po'ful 
scent.  I  ken  wuk,  but  I  is  purty  weak  lik  fur 
food,  but  I  ken  wuk. ' ' 

Thus  protesting  his  value,  the  negro  fell  at 
his  rescuer's  feet  like  a  broken  reed. 


36  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Eventially  Mr.  Lovejoy  assisted  him  to  an 
under-ground  railway  and  to  freedom,  firmly 
convinced  that  the  cabin  was  as  steadfast  a 
haven  to  the  negro  as  was  the  home  to  the  white 
man,  and  his  hearthstone  as  dear  a  trust. 

In  the  mind  of  density,  there  is  lack  of  con- 
centration, confidence  and  trust,  which  kind 
treatment  often  overcomes;  for  the  beautiful 
aloe  never  unfolds  new  leaves  until  the  old 
leaves  are  cast  aside. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  37 

CHAPTER  V. 

"How  beautiful  is  the  sun,  when  thou  cometh 
to  visit  us." — Ovid. 

The  gateway  to  the  great  West  was  the 
ancient  village  of  Cahokia,  lying  to  the  east  of 
the  Mississippi  River. 

That  Cahokia  was  an  prehistoric  site  is 
proven  by  the  discovery  in  Monk's  Mound  of 
elephant's  pipes  and  genuine  pottery  of  rare 
mold. 

Through  this  gateway  went  the  Canadian 
ranger,  New  England  emigrant,  and  the  Vir- 
ginia settler,  lingering  awhile  to  view  in  won- 
derment the  panorama  stretched  before  them, 
from  the  apex  of  Monks  Mound,  which  held 
twenty-five  million  cubic  feet  of  earth,  its  height 
being  ninety-one  feet. 

Across  the  great  Mississippi  River  nestled 
the  village  of  Paine  Court,  populated  by  the 
French,  whose  fiddle  scraping,  night  and  day, 
attested  their  jocularity  and  social  intercourse. 

This  center  of  the  great  western  area  was 


38  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

most  wisely  selected  by  DeSoto  and  Coronada 
as  a  prophetic  site  of  industry. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Lovejoy's  arrival,  Paine 
Court  was  beginning  to  yawn  and  look  over  the 
bluffs  skirting  the  river;  it  was  calling  itself 
St.  Louis,  thus  commemorating  the  Louisiana 
Purchase;  it  waved  a  smoky  welcome  to  the 
emigrant,  from  forge  and  furnace. 


Ancient  Cahokia  (Where  the  Famous  Monks  Mound  is 
Found)  was  the  Gate- Way  to  the  West. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  39 

In  1810,  Cahokia  began  to  decay  instead  of 
construct;  its  census  showing  sixty  artisans 
and  ten  trappist  monks,  and  a  yet  smaller  pop- 
ulation. 

These  trappist  monks  lived  a  somewhat 
shadowy  life ;  their  beings  were  emaciated,  from 
great  self-denial,  but  their  secular  grace  was 
such  as  stayed  the  traveler  from  seeking  to 
change  their  habits  of  penurious  living. 

It  was  here  that  Mr.  Lovejoy  met  Father 
Joseph,  a  Jesuit  of  enduring  strength.  "Our 
labor  is  not  hard,  when  we  arrange  it ;  we  never 
exert  undue  influence,  but  our  motive  is  to  save 
souls;  behold  how  we  advertise  our  work;" 
spreading  a  small  newspaper  before  him. 
'  *  Watches,  clocks,  silver  smithy  traded  for  corn, 
tallow,  cattle,  blankets  and  small  tanned  skins 
suitable  for  clothing.  Thus  we  manage  to  exist, 
while  awaiting  the  expansion  of  the  West,"  ex- 
plained Father  Joseph.  "This  was  one  of  our 
numbers,  whose  mission  ended  only  in  his 
death, ' '  and  he  led  the  way  to  where  a  precious 
relic  hung  on  the  stain-worn  wall. 

It  was  the  breivary  of  "Isaac  Jojus,"  who 


40  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

was  murdered  by  the  Dacotah  Indians. 

"This  relic  was  rescued  from  them  with 
great  danger,"  said  Father  Joseph  quietly. 
"Somewhere  in  the  common-wealth  will  be 
found  a  painting  of  this  holy  man  with  his 
noted  signature,  'Isaac  Jojus,'  and  his  motto, 
'I  go,  but  I  shall  never  return,  yet  I  am  no 
exile.'  He  was  covered  with  politic  guise;  his 
work  was  not  compulsory ;  of  the  world,  yet  not 
in  it;  he  represented  the  work  of  a  Jesuit,  who 
can  never  be  chiseled  like  a  parish_priest. " 

"The  golden  wedge  of  Ophir  is  oft  hidden 
in  night,"  responded  Mr.  Lovejoy,  as  he  turned 
to  view  the  magnificent  scene  spreading  to  the 
west  of  the  great  waters. 

"Your  words  hint  at  state  craft,  and  it  is 
through  the  traveler  whom  we  encourage  to 
linger  yet  awhile,  that  we  learn  of  the  great 
outside  world?"  said  Father  Joseph  interroga- 
tively. "The  growing  west  is  full  of  church 
and  tavern,  which  a  writer  declares  is  anal- 
ogous ;  in  one  a  sermon,  in  the  other  its  effect. ' ' 

Was  it  possible  that  in  the  serious,  dark- 
browed  man,  standing  so  thoughtfully  near  his 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  41 

side,  Father  Joseph,  recognized  a  man  who  was 
to  be  looked  upon  later  as  a  martyr. 

"In  yon  growing  town  across  the  river,  you 
will  see  military  coat-tails  worn  by  men  as  vain 
as  peacocks  and  quite  as  talkative  as  parrots; 
men  who,  like  whirl-winds,  uproot  with  a  breath 
the  seeds  of  religion  to  achieve  their  goal — 
Ambition."  The  Jesuit  unconsciously  turned 
his  eyes  to  where  a  whirl-pool  eddied  to  the 
north  of  the  river.  "Duncan's  Island  and  its 
companion,  Bloody  Island,  both  noted  as  duel- 
ing grounds;  there  the  famous  'Lucas-Benton' 
duel  was  fought  in  1817,  Lucas  dying;  it  was 
brought  on  by  ambition  and  desire  for  the  Sen- 
ate. As  you  cross  the  river  this  evening,  you 
will  see  the  man,  who  daily  comes  hither  seeking 
to  know  the  emigrant;  his  name  is  Thos.  Ben- 
ton." 

As  the  Mogal  plowed  her  way  across  the 
Mississippi  late  that  day,  Mr.  Lovejoy  observed 
a  tall,  morose  man  standing  well  apart  from 
the  motley  crowd  that  jostled  elbows  with 
coarse  jests  and  rude  manners,  looking  moodily 
in  the  direction  of  Bloody  Island ;  he  seemed  to 


42  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

pull  his  tall  light  beaver  hat  lower  on  his  brow 
as  he  sighed  audibly,  he  then  turned  with  cy- 
clonic swiftness  and  called  out  to  some  hunters 
lounging  on  the  prow: 

"Ho!  Ho!  My  hearties!  howdye,  howdye; 
tell  of  your  adventures,  of  the  water-ways  you 
crossed  on  your  travels,  so  that  I  can  divide 
this  great  west  with  seeming  ease  into  the  grace 
of  a  living  place  for  your  families;  the  moun- 
tain ranges  divide,  and  even  change;  not  so  the 
water-ways,  once  their  channel  is  fixed." 

With  great  eagerness,  he  plied  question 
after  question,  keeping  the  hunters  under  the 
spell  of  his  mighty  force  of  character.  Though 
Col.  Benton  wore  the  brand  of  Cain  and  was 
even  said  to  be  a  fugitive  from  North  Carolina, 
yet  he  was  a  man  of  powerful  influence  and  was 
most  constructive  in  the  building  of  the  West. 

Old  Bullion  was  so  named  because  he 
climbed  into  the  Senate  by  the  vote  of  a  dying 
man,  by  the  name  of  Daniel  Rail. 

The  West  represented  an  age  of  general  in- 
tolerance created  by  business  sagacity,  well 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  43 

cemented  by  legendary  tales  of  visionary 
wealth.  " Orators"  exploited  the  cry  of  ex- 
pansion and  Col.  Benton  never  failed  to  attract 
a  group  of  interested  listeners. 

"Hear!  Hear!"  cried  he  that  day;  "General 
Jackson  is  about  to  make  a  law." 

The  word  went  around  that  a  carrier  pigeon 
had  brought  him  a  message  before  the  Mogul 
set  sail;  and  so  the  passengers  crowded  closely 
around  the  great  orator,  eager  to  hear  the  latest 
news. 

In  stentorian  tones  Col.  Benton  began: 
"General  Jackson  is  about  to  pass  a  law  reduc- 
ing all  public  lands,  and  he  will  donate  home- 
steads to  all  worthy  trades-people,  who  will  be- 
come pioneers  in  the  expanding  West.  It  is  in 
this  way  the  expanding  West  will  be  popu- 
lated." 

"But  such  offer  requires  a  grain  o'  salt  to 
keep  the  thought  from  spilin',"  cried  a  voice 
from  the  crowd.  "Are  his  words  ballast,  or 
shifting  sand,  and  why  not  build  a  crib  first  on 
Bloody  Island  to  turn  the  current  this  way, 


44  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

seein'  th'  boat  labors  hard  ter  pull  ter  shore." 

Such  hazardous  words  brought  forth  a  tor- 
rent of  invectives,  as  was  to  be  expected,  and 
fairly  leaping  o'er  the  heads  of  those  nearest 
him,  Col.  Benton  shouted : 

"Who  is  it  that  dares  to  question  the  verac- 
ity of  General  Jackson,  than  whom  none  is  more 
honorable?  His  name  is  Honor."  The  de- 
fender's eyes  held  a  dangerous  flame,  like  a 
smoking  lamp  about  to  explode. 

"Hum,"  muttered  the  crowd,  falling  back 
expectantly  and  exposing  a  small  man,  who 
emerged  bravely,  standing  to  one  side.  "  'Hum,' 
he's  not  a  peacemaker  like  Henry  Clay,  he's 
always  plumin'  for  fight.  We'uns  won't  tol- 
erate his  pomp." 

The  small  man  came  close  to  Col.  Benton 
and  whispered  in  his  ears  some  magic  words, 
whereupon  Old  Bullion  replied  blandly,  though 
in  none  the  less  severe  tones:  "Burdher,  you 
insult  the  great  peacemaker.  Would  you  break 
the  camel 's  back  with  a  straw ! ' ' 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 


45 


Missouri  Hotel,  Famous  for  its  Political  Meetings. 

"Nay,  Colonel,  but  all  men  are  not  of  the 
same  venue,  so  why  tell  the  news  afore  tonight 
at  the  Missouri  Hotel,  where  you  ar'  spokes- 
man? I  am  just  outspoken  is  all,  but  I  am 
your  friend." 

"But  your  example  is  bad,  very  bad,"  said 
the  Colonel  in  an  aside.  "Know  you  not  that 
there  are  many  stool  pigeons  in  yon  gaping 
crowd." 

To   the   expectant   crowd   the   Colonel   ap- 


46  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

\ 

peared  to  wax  angry  once  more,  for  he  doffed 
his  high  beaver  hat  and  pulled  off  his  long  flap- 
ping coat ;  was  he  going  to  avenge  General  Jack- 
son 's  honor,  for  he  was  spittling  his  hands  and 
his  manner  showed  intense  and  instant  action. 

Mr.  Love  joy  stood  well  back  viewing  the 
hurdy-gurdy  crowd,  who  seemed  unhappy  un- 
less in  uproar. 

"These  are  the  ungodly  that  ever  seek  au- 
dience; they  dig  a  pit  and  fall  therein  them- 
selves to  gratify  dispute?" 

In  the  meantime  the  little  boat,  being  heav- 
ily loaded,  careened  to  one  side,  causing  the 
peppery  captain  to  shout  out  a  warning: 

"Ahoy!  Ahoy!  Would  ye  swamp  th'  boat, 
an'  sa  ne'er  land." 

Whereat  the  crowd,  not  wanting  a  ducking, 
and  also  not  desiring  to  lose  their  valuable  herd 
of  livestock,  obeyed  his  order  and  scattered 
the  balance,  "But  he'll  finish  on  land  th'  night, 
an'  General  Jackson's  honor  will  be  avenged." 

But  Col.  Benton  only  thundered  at  the  Cap- 
tain: "Hasten  th'  boat.  See  yon  sun-post 
tells  th '  hour  is  late,  and  tonight  I  have  impor- 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  47 

tant  work  to  do.  For  the  mountains  and  water- 
ways show  me  the  way." 

The  Mogul  plowed  heavily  past  the  landing; 
its  ringing  bells  caused  the  rowdies  on  the 
levees  to  arouse  from  their  transient  slumbers 
and  hasten  assistance;  after  long  effort,  a  land- 
ing was  effected,  and  Mr.  Lovejoy  stepped  his 
foot  on  firma  terra  scanning  the .  scene  with 
physiologic  eye. 

Drunkards  and  loafers,  rubbish  and  mer- 
chandise were  conglomerated  together  in  a  pro- 
miscuous array. 

The  scarlet  thread  ran  through  all  strangely 
amuck,  presenting  a  scene  of  depravity;  thus 
was  the  "warp"  of  St.  Louis,  when  it  became  a 
city. 

The  frivolous  French  were  all  heels  and  no 
head,  the  Irish  naught  but  "herbaria"  that 
preserved  their  energies  for  Wm.  Conner  to 
awaken,  by  gifts  of  knoll  and  hill;  he  it  was, 
that  dragged  St.  Louis  over  the  top  by  generous 
gifts.  At  the  time  of  Mr.  Lovejoy 's  arrival,  St. 
Louis  had  its  city  hall,  which  was  reached  from 
the  river  by  two  circuitous  routes. 


48  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Chouteau  and  Lucas  erected  this  building, 
consisting  of  two  stories,  and  containing  a  con- 
tingency of  small  rooms,  where  the  law  was 
dangled  ad  libitum  by  Lawless,  Peck,  Hamilton, 
Gamble,  Bent,  Spalding  and  Bird.  Here,  too, 
was  found  the  famous  city  directory  compiled 
in  one  night  by  Mr.  Paxton,  who  used  discretion 
in  advising  the  wayfarer  to  tarry  this  way  or 
'tother  "na  Belief ountain  or  Carondelet,"  or, 
if  best  be,  St.  Charles  Road. ' '  Saint  and  sinner 
met  daily  at  the  city  hall.  The  newcomer  was 
jogged  hither  on  arrival  to  meet  his  friends,  as 
it  was  a  more  definite  place  and  far  less  dan- 
gerous than  waiting  on  the  levee. 

So  it  was  here  that  Mr.  Lovejoy  met  his 
friend,  Eev.  Giddings,  who  having  gone  West 
many  years  before,  was  most  practical  in  all 
things. 

"When  one  cannot  right  a  misdemeanor,  it 
is  well  to  be  patient,  for  in  his  own  time  the 
Lord  will  arrange  everything." 

These  words  covered  his  life  in  the  West  to 
euch  extent,  that  he  was  spoken  of  as  a  man  of 
great  blessing  and  of  long-head. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  49 

"This  growing  metropolis  of  the  middle 
west  will  ask  tolerance,"  said  he  to  Mr.  Love- 
joy^  "Preach  the  word  in  what-so-<ere  you 
will,  in  season  and  out  of  season;  reprove  with 
entreaty,  rebuke  with  charity,  overlook  with 
sincerity,  as  did  Paul  to  Timothy.  Follow  well 
his  doctrine,  knowing  that  neither  cross  nor 
crescent  prevails  here  at  this  time  of  history. 
The  Great  Mississippi  is  turning  trade  this  way, 
since  it  is  deserting  St.  Genevieve,  and  prophecy 
says  one  hundred  years  hence  it  will  know  that 
town  no  more;  not  so  with  St.  Louis,  it  will 
hold  its  right  of  way.'* 

"I  will  take  fast  hold  of  thy  instruction," 
answered  Mr.  Lovejoy,  turning  around  at  a 
loud  cry. 

"Halloe!  Halloe!  Come  one,  come  all,  to  the 
dram  shop  'twixt  Missouri  Hotel  and  next,  to 
hear  Gov.  McNair  talk  on  the  waste  lands  of 
our  glorious  West." 

Then  a  brazen  bell  rang  out  loudly  near  the 
ear  of  a  small  man  of  upright  bearing,  who 
quickly  faced  about  with  a  military  air,  exclaim- 


50  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

ing  fiercely.  "And  bring  along  your  cliclickers, 
Citizens,  to  settle  the  conscience." 

"That  is  Captain  Smith,  who  never  misses 
his  mark,  because  he  keeps  in  practice;  he  is 
an  invincible  foe,  but  a  true  friend;  he  comes 
here  daily  to  challenge  Joe  Collins  to  duel." 

"Ah,  Mr.  Pettus,  that  constitution  you  com- 
piled on  parchment  has  warp  enough  to  last  a 
century;  so  much  for  a  stateman's  ability." 

"Tut,  tut,"  answered  that  gentleman.  "Fine 
words  butter  no  parsnips.  It  was  just  plain 
application  is  all;  I  am  not  interrupted  at  night 
by  constant  money  grabbing,  or  political  wran- 
gles, once  shut  within  my  home;  Dry  den  says, 
'Home  is  the  sacred  refuge  of  our  life,'  and  I 
agree  with  him,  yes  siree ! 

"So  I  wrote  what  I  may  call  the  National 
conscience,"  chuckling  softly;  "as  all  problems 
prove  themselves  according  to  the  rule  of  three, 
eh,  Wm.  Deakers,  what  say." 

"I  say,  Mr.  Pettus,  that  your  scholarship  is 
without  peer,  and  you  never  ride  your  hobby 
horse  to  death,  either;  even  Mr.  Findly,  our 
chairman  of  committee,  who  is  a  scholar  in  ratio 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  61 

and  proportions,  says  likewise.  But  there 
comes  Joe  Charless  wearing  his  green  coat. 
Where  is  Ben  Provenchere  f  He  is  transferring 
property  today;  he  is  an  important  factor,  too, 
eh,  Pettus,  in  the  question  of  *  Give  and  Take. '  ' ' 

"Please,  sire,  Mr.  Chouteau  would  have 
speech  with  you,'*  said  a  negro. 

"Yes,  Gabriel;  assure  him  I  will  be  there 
soon." 

"Black  Gabriel  is  another  factor  of  Augus- 
tus Chouteau 's  grist  mill;  when  his  great  pond 
broke,  as  Gab  predicted  it  would,  and  lost 
thousands  of  fish,  who  geared  it  up  and  stayed 
with  it  night  and  day — Gabrial.  He  saved  the 
people  from  going  hungry,  bless  his  black  hide ; 
had  he  been  a  fraction  of  a  second  late  all  would 
have  been  lost  and  many  lives  lost. ' ' 

"Gab  is  no  longer  a  problem  he  has  proven 
his  worth.  His  freedom  papers  are  in  your 
hands  when  ever  he  wants  them ; ' ' 

As  he  turned  to  go,  Rev.  Gidding  remarked 
to  his  friends;  "We  pioners  all  must  go  to  the 
same  school  for  experience ;  the  negro  is  tutored 
by  the  laws  of  nature;  he  knows  intuitively 


52  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

that  nature  abhors  a  vacuum,  and  so  he  listens 
to  the  waters  murmur;  he  is  shepherd  of  the 
night  in  astronomy;  sound  means  considerable 
to  him  and  for  lack  of  education  he  goes  to  the 
first  school  of  nature  for  truth. ' ' 

"But  slavery,  slavery,"  cried  Mr.  Lovejoy. 
"It  is  a  monster  that  drinks  blood  and  devours 
fleslj."  There  is  written  a  devine  law  that  says 
"There  shall  be  but  one  society  on  earth  and  it 
belongs  to  the  human  race  irrespective  of 
color. ' ' 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  63 

CHAPTER  VI. 

"All  Worketh  the  same  spirit,  dividing  to  every 
man  as  he  wills." — I  Cor. 

The  early  settlers  of  St.  Louis  differed  more 
in  church  politics  than  in  social  welfare. 

It  was  a  most  difficult  task  for  missionaries 
to  instill  high  ideals  in  settlers  who  were  im- 
bued with  a  wisdom  that  had  faith  in  nothing. 

So  the  thread  that  ran  through  each  day 
tangled  sadly  with  original  sin  whose  fibre  was 
too  strong  to  be  cut  quickly. 

Quasi-powers,  mentality,  customs  had  been 
cultivated  too  long  and  habits  had  become 
rooted. 

Henry  Clay,  the  idol  of  the  West  smiled  sage- 
ly at  the  antics  of  " Paine  Court,"  but  he  con- 
demned fiddle  scraping  and  night-raiding  as 
lawless  breeders  of  levity,  when  the  city  became 
known  as  St.  Louis. 

11  Still"  mused  a  citizen:  "a  riot  cannot  be 
called  a  revolution;  our  citizens  yield  too  much 
to  impulse  and  don 't  think. ' ' 


64  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

England,  France  and  Switzerland  had  fine 
methods  of  colonization  through  organization, 
and  thus  were  building  better  than  they  thought 
to  do. 

"Time  will  place  a  wallet,  on  the  pioneer's 
back."  "True"  cried  a  staid  Christian  "but  the 
next  generation  will  cry  'My  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me:'  and  God  will  answer  back: 
'you  have  never  offered  to  carry  the  cross'." 

"The  cross  is  growing  nebulous  through  sel- 
fish aims  and  man  sups  with  the  devil  with  a 
golden  spoon.  The  man  who  rough  hews  his  way 
and  lives  in  harmony  unconsciously  civilizes 
humanity.  Religion  is  not  a  creed  for  simple- 
tons." 

"A  reformer  has  come  to  our  city  and  will 
soon  look  into  public  welfare  with  this  result 
that  many  things  will  no  longer  be  tolerated," 
replied  his  companion  earnestly. 

"Look  here  comes  two  missionaries,  whose 
work  never  tires;  and  whose  diligence  is  never 
weary,  for  they  admit  neither  failure  nor  yet 
success." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  65 

The  two  alluded  to,  were  Mr.  Lovejoy  and 
Eev.Gidding,  whose  labors  indeed  never  ceased; 
there  was  much  discouragement  to  embarrass 
them  and  innumerable  issues  to  be  overcome. 
But,  hand  in  hand  the  two  missionaries  strove 
through  sympathy  to  meet  the  cosmopolitan 
class  that  drifted  into  St.  Louis. 

"We  will  walk  over  Mullanthy  creek  and 
visit  a  primitive  but  worthy  citizen,  who  will 
some  day  be  eulogized  for  his  generous  spirit. 
He  lives  in  monastic  frugality  now;  but  is  in  a 
way  to  amass  an  immense  fortune"  said  Rev. 
Giddings  to  his  friend,  as  arm  in  arm  the  twain 
crossed  a  little  foot  bridge  and  passed  on  to 
a  low  thatched  cabin,  where  the  door  stood  wide 
open  and  the  odor  of  toasting  fishheads  was 
wafted  out  to  them. 

"He  is  at  his  favorite  dish,  which  we  must 
share  with  him"  whispered  Rev.  Gidding. 

Within,  they  found  a  rather  jolly  old  gentle- 
man with  a  huge  carbuncled  nose,  busy  toasting 
fish  heads,  of  which  he  had  a  great  quantity. 

"Welcome"  he  said  simply  sweeping  a  heap 
of  yellow  gold  into  the  mouth  of  a  leathern 


66  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

sack;  "I  am  looking  for  Nathaniel  Beverly 
Tucker  ter  cum  ter-night  ter  count  thet  gold  fer 
me;  I  low  ez  I  doan  live  like  gentry;  but  he, 
Nathaniel  doan  either ;  fur  he  lives  in  the  hollow 
of  an  old  tree  trunk,  instead  o'  cuttin  it  down 
an'  building  a  cabin  like  me;  the  lightin  will 
catch  Nathaniel  some  bad  day  sure  nuff,  seein 
it  always  plays  wid  tree  trunks  bad.  Cum  th' 
fish  is  done  ter  a  turn  an  uncommonly  large 
too." 

It  was  a  true  barmecide  feast,  if  not  to  taste, 
and  the  host  commented  on  his  visitors  appetite 
with  seeming  satisfaction.  "Yes  siree"  said 
this  phrasemonger  placidly  eating  the  last  bit 
and  washing  it  down  with  wholesome  wine;  "I 
am  what  iz  spoken  of  as  a  pelt-trader,  I  barter 
and  I  trade  lucky;  but  wot  is  thar  else  ter  life, 
fur  I  doan  care  a  fig  fur  gold,  save  ter  rest  my 
soul ;  company  will  season  the  wittles  and  wine 
will  make  th'  tongue  hang  loose;  an  wot  do 
weums  care  fer  printin'  papers,  wen  we  ken 
pass  news  round  by  word  o  mouth.  Eddication 
is  fur  th'  scholar  and  not  fer  th'  masses;  eddi- 
cate  th'  nigger  and  he  will  grow  sassy;  I  ken 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  67 

make  my  mark,  an'  I  am  satisfied,  an  Nathaniel 
cums  in  ter  count  th'  gold  o'  trade;  an  wen  I 
want  knowledge  I  interview  the  advise  of  good 
Father  St.  Piere ;  we  catholics  all  love  his  grace, 
bless  him"  and  the  old  gentleman  crossed  him- 
self and  mumbled  a  prayer. 

This  Nehemiah  of  America,  leaned  toward 
superstition,  and  he  related  some  miracles  with 
faith  in  their  reality:  his  hearers  listened  to 
his  buffoonery  with  good  grace,  and  smiled  at 
his  prattle;  "Yes  siree,  thet  Draconian  code 
war  good,  an  th'  chief  justice  of  'Missouri  Su- 
preme Court '  said  well,  wen  he  said ;  *  All  clergy 
shall  be  spat  upon,  fur  the  citizens  o'  St.  Louis 
ar'  plumb  tir'd  o'  bein'  whipp'd  in  public  fer 
cuttin'  up,  an'  ordered  ter  apologize  ter  th' 
cloth  fer  this  an'  that;  them's  my  sentiments 
too,  axin  yer  pardon"  and  he  guffawed  loudly  at 
his  timely  hint.  "We  good  catholics  love  a  sim- 
ple life  with  plenty  o'  blossom  time,  an'  neow 
th'  town  hez  grown  ter  be  a  big  city  like,  I 
thinks  th'  path  leadin'  away  fatherest  frum  it 
into  th'  fields  an'  woods  are  more  to  my  likin' 
then  th'  paths  thet  lead  ter  th'  city  hall:  an 


58  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

speakin'  of  th'  city  hall  recollects  me  o'  th'  time 
Missouri  was  made  a  state,  how  splendiferous 
the  eagle  looked  perched  'atop  the  Irish  Harp; 
th'  people  shouted  themself  hoarse,  an  th'  nig- 
gers were  glad  they  belong 'd  ter  Missouri. 

Th'  poor  trash  grew  'ristocratic  an  bespoke 
thar  minds,  an  ol  Dave  Barton  let  em  run 
'Vaux  Hall  Garden,'  overlooking  th'  constable. 
So  Gabe  Warner  an  Wherry  let  em  hev  thar 
way  an  even  jined  in  with  them. 

They  tun'd  "Th'  Wearin  0'  Th'  Green" 
with  great  song  an'  Capt.  Market  made  every 
man  think  he  wuz  an  angel  til  all  thar  bons  wuz 
gone,  which  ended  many  a  bout. 

Yes  siree  ol'  John  Calhoun  war  right  wen 
he  said  '  Slavery  war  right  an  a  blessing  in  dis- 
guise;' fur  it  protects  an  it  shelters  the  sheep- 
head  niggers,  who  depend  upon  thar  white  mas- 
ters fur  their  keep :  why  th'  nigger  hez  no  mem- 
ory; yesterday  an  today  is  jest  th'  same  ter 
them;  thet  Missouri  Gazette  is  doin'  a  lot  o' 
harm  by  talkin'  too  much  an  letin  people  know 
wot  might  be  soon  forgot.  Soon  it  will  do  away 
wid  th'  flowin  bowl;  an  stem  terbacco  an  th'  cob 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  69 

pipe  is  already  bein  sneer  'd  at  by  gentry.  Away 
wid  th'  press  sez  I  an  sez  he." 

The  old  gentleman  grew  somewhat  hazy  at 
this  period,  from  eating  too  much  and  drinking 
more  than  was  good  for  him,  so  he  fell  into  a 
slumber  full  of  deep  snores. 

Thus  they  left  him,  with  wealth  all  around 
him,  but  holding  no  intrinsic  value  in  times  that 
were  of  trade  and  barter.  The  following  day, 
the  two  Missionaries  followed  the  footpath  lead- 
ing to  Reine  Paul's  monument,  where  they 
paused  to  chat  with  Judge  Bent,  whose  daily 
duty  was  to  examine  the  high  water  mark:" 
"This  mark  has  caused  the  city  to  creep  west- 
ward driving  the  crying  Delawares  and  Shanees 
farther  out  from  the  city;  their  noise  was  un- 
bearable at  sunrise;  I  hold  this  mark  is  the 
"Mark"  of  civilization."  Going  on  to  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  the  two  heard  the  brilliant  Edward 
Bates  holding  a  spell-bound  audience ;  Suddenly 
a  young  carter  arose  and  with  twitching  muscles 
ran  without,  where  he  was  found  in  the  hard- 
ware store  of  Henry  Shaw  quivering  with  un- 
controlled emotion;  "Oh  if  I  could  speak  as 


60  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

he  doeth,  Oh!  Oh!"  Upon  inquiry,  Mr.  Love- 
joy  found  he  had  no  education,  but  desired 
it.  "I  canna  go  ter  Quality  Row"  said  he 
sniffling  "fer  I  cart  from  morn  til'  night  fer 
Augustus  Chouteau,  woe  is  me :  My  sire  was  a 
school-master  in  th'  old  country,  but  sez  we 'urns 
must  work  ter  support  him  here  in  America: 
A-las." 

He  was  greatly  comforted  when  Mr.  Love- 
joy  told  him  he  would  tutor  him:  In  time  this 
carter  became  known  as  a  most  brilliant  law- 
yer ;  his  name  was  Edward  Baker. 

In  those  days,  there  was  an  expounder  of 
law  who  was  called  Auditor  of  Public  accounts ; 
his  name  was  Wm.  Christy  who  was  modish  in 
dress  and  was  greatly  imitated  by  the  fops  of 
the  day,  even  to  the  daintily  ruffled  sleeves  and 
the  correctly  tied  bow  that  always  seemed  to 
stand  upright  in  the  middle  of  his  back. 

Mr.  Christy  was  a  most  courteous  man, 
maintaining  this  manner  even  toward  a  pris- 
oner; "Will  the  accused  come  to  the  book," 
cried  he.  The  accused  shuffled  along  without 
fear,  and  when  he  stood  near,  made  a  feint  at 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  61 

kissing  the  holy  bible;  then  shamelessly  smiled 
at  the  Judge:  " Johnny  Jones,"  said  Mr.  Chris- 
ty :  * l  do  you  solemnly  swear  to  tell  the  truth  and 
nothing  but  the  truth,  keep  your  hand  on  the 
book;"  then  in  a  stage  whisper  "You  owe  me 
one  dollar,  you  know  you  do,  pay  me  now." 

"How  ken  I,  jedge,  unless  you  let  me  free, 
ter  kill  hogs ;  so  help  me  God,  Amen. ' '  So  Win. 
Christy  ran  over  the  lists  of  delinquent  debters ; 
knowing  once  away  from  the  Bible,  there  was 
little  hope  of  pay  from  delinquents. 

But  the  delinquents  never  feared  Wm. 
Christy,  for  he  was  of  very  easy  nature,  and  a 
man  to  whom  many  were  indebted.  These  par- 
ties never  would  settle  their  debts  outside  of 
the  court-room. 


62  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

"Behold  how  many  things,  they  witness  against 
thee." — Mark. 

Augustus  Chouteau  was  one  of  the  aristo- 
crats of  early  days:  he  was  not  alone  a  well 
balanced  diplomat,  but  most  hospitable  to  all 
regardless  of  station;  the  great  Chief  Black 
Hawk  often  stalked  about  his  spacious  grounds, 
garbed  on  such  occasions  in  civilized  dress,  con- 
sisting of  beruffled  shirt  and  deerskin  leggings, 
and  carrying  under  his  arm  a  volume  of 
1 '  Chitby  's  pleadings. ' ' 

Black  Hawk  was  a  fine  imitator,  he  would  be 
a  God ;  he  would  as  soon  imbrue  his  hand  in  his 
patrons  blood  as  sup  with  him  which  he  often 
did.  Lafayette  was  coming  to  America;  and 
Black  Hawk  was  eager  to  see  the  Apostle 
of  Liberty  when  he  made  his  initial  trip  to 
the  West  in  1825;  hence  he  caused  all  his 
Braves  to  array  themselves  in  flaming  red  blan- 
kets o'er  topped  with  tarnished  epaulettes,  and 
carry  bright  red  umbrellas ;  this  mighty  collec- 
tion impressed  Lafayette  so,  that  he  decided 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 


63 


America  was  rapidly  becoming  civilized  through 
the  doorway  of  the  open  West;  he  never  knew 
his  advent  had  caused  the  city  treasury  to  be 
examined  and  the  discovery  made,  that  it  held 
just  " Twenty-seven  dollars." 


When  Lafayette  Came  to  America. 

What  to  do,  caused  the  city  fathers  a  night's 
loss  of  sleep.  "  'Twenty-seven  dollars'  to  en- 
tertain the  great  Lafayette.  How  show  him 
America  appreciates  the  thousands  that  he 


84  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

spent  on  her.  Mayor  Lane  conferred  with  Gov. 
Bates ;  and  he  decided  the  city  treasury  must  be 
filled  someway  by  the  citizens.  So  every  work- 
man advanced  the  price  of  his  skill,  and  soon 
all  knew  the  value  of  commerce :  the  friendly 
butcher  stole  Jodge  Lucas'  cow  and  boldly  of- 
fered the  hind  quarter  to  that  gentleman  for  a 
gallon  of  whisky.  The  Missouri  Gazette  ran 
riot  with  news : ' '  While  walking  in  his  garden 
devising  some  way  to  entertain  the  "Apostle  of 
Liberty,"  Editor  Charles  was  deliberately  shot 
at  by  a  well  known  enemy ;  * '  Surely  the  way  to 
heaven  is  as  easy  one  way  as  another ; ' '  said  the 
Editor,  as  he  faced  the  hunter,  who  was  well 
primed  with  corn  whisky.  "How  I  bless  my 
stars  I  was  born  in  the  secretive  east;  Editor 
Charles  now  demands  that  Bob  White  pay  his 
debt." 

"Whipping  and  slitting  o'  ears,  ne'er  makes 
a  man  ambitious,  but  a  tax  of  a  bushel  o'  corn 
will.  The  Father  of  Liberty  must  be  fed;  La- 
fayette sent  the  key  of  the  bastile  to  George 
Washington,  whose  spirit  still  lives  on,  and 
might  we  advise  "let  sleepin'  dogs  lie." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  65 

"The  moss  grows  over  the  whipping  post 
of  late,  but  the  cries  of  the  Delawares  still 
wakes  up  Lazy  bones." 

The  city  showed  sudden  thrift  in  the  way  of 
brewing  and  stewing;  cleaning  without  and 
within;  a  public  library  made  its  appearance, 
made  up  of  promiscuous  literature,  mostly  of 
Ben.  Franklin's  pithy  points. 

Pierre  Chouteau's  mansion,  and  barouche 
drawn  by  snow  white  horses  were  in  waiting  for 
the  great  advent. 

Anticipation  begat  enthusiasm;  and  enthu- 
siasm begat  fellowship.  Northerners  and  South- 
erners vied  in  foolishness  and  dissipation;  and 
no  one  complained  when  Cincinnatus  left  the 
plow  and  came  to  town  to  partake  of  political 
joy. 

Little  wonder  that  Lafayette  told  Mr.  Bar- 
thold  that  St.  Louis  seemed  seated  in  the  lap 
of  luxury,  and  "how  I  would  like  to  see  Henry 
Clay  in  the  presidential  chair." 

This  remark  greatly  pleased  the  citizens, 
and  they  grew  as  gleeful  as  children,  setting 
about  to  form  a  political  caucus  immediately. 


66  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

The  Indians,  at  this  point  shed  their  garb  of 
civilization  and  fled  perfidiously  to  the  woods. 

The  great  event  over,  depression  followed, 
causing  wise  acres  to  salt  their  own  pork  and 
lye  their  own  hominy,  for  all  larders  were 
empty.  Political  graft  stalked  abroad,  and 
scattered  its  weed  in  Missouri  where  it  took 
seed. 

Working  at  his  furnace  nightly,  Friend 
Pruine  talked  to  his  roaring  fire,  hoping  that 
his  helper  Peter  would  hear. 

" Lafayette  be  a  great  man,  an'  a  thinker; 
and  sich  men  are  rulers:  I'm  doin'  a  bit  o' 
thinkin  myself  these  days ; ' '  poking  hard  at  the 
pesky  coals  *  *  an  I  dew  say  I  can  argue  with  the 
best  o'  them.  Peter  I  say  Peter  dye  ye  hear 
me." 

"I  hears  ye  sir"  rejoined  Peter  meekly. 

"  An  wot's  ye  axin  me  ter  do  sir." 

"Dye  see  yon  flames  leapin  higher  n'  higher, 
cause  I  poked  em.  Wen  I  went  ter  school  two 
months,  I  read  in  th'  copy  book  these  words 
'Obey  thy  best  thoughts'. 

I  Ve  been  thinkin  as  how  General  Ashley  wuz 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  67 

elected  ter  th'  senate  ez  president  an  'lowed 
hisn  thoughts  ter  run  continually  on  gettin  Wm. 
Stone's  money  fer  his  own,  instead  o  giv'in  it 
ter  America;  and  neow  th'  question  arises  how 
ken  weuns  get  money  ter  power,  tendin  ter  fur- 
naces: an'  burnin'  lime  an  occasional  makin'  o' 
leathern  buckets? 

Peter  your  master  must  get  into  politics; 
an  you  must  be  my  Apostle,  you  must  mouth  it 
around  and  tell  o'  my  power  o'  speakin." 

Peter  was  quite  overcome  with  the  honor 
thrust  upon  him  and  remained  silent  so  long, 
that  his  master  feared  something  was  amiss; 
"Peter  he  cried,  'Peter  wake  up  and  tend  th' 
coals'."  "I  wuz  only  thinkin'  myself"  an- 
swered Peter. 

"I  am  a  great  man  Peter." 

"You  ar  sir"  parroted  Peter. 

"Wen  shill  I  start  spoutin  sir." 

"Tomorrow  morn'  Peter  as  thee  goes  home, 
speak  ter  Key  the  blacksmith  ez  he  hez  much 
showin'  with  th'  people:  then  ter'  Anderson  th' 
bricklayer,  who's  buildin'  summit;  they'll  bawl 


68  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

it  'round  ter  th'  boatmen,  ez  drifts  in  ter  spree 
with  the  hunters  thet  trail  th'  state. 

I  say  Peter,  wen  I  am  Jedge,  I'll  make  laws 
an  thee  shall  be  a  real  key  bearer  fur  me  an' 
mine  jack  o'  lantern." 

Peter  found  it  huge  joy  to  spout  about  Pru- 
ine  the  lime-burner,  who  in  time  became  a 
judge  and  moved  to  Quality  Hill  with  his 
friends  Bey,  the  blacksmith  and  Anderson,  the 
bricklayer  as  neighbors!  while  near  by  resided 
one  Ferguson,  who  aspired  to  rise  from  a  lowly 
state  into  becoming  a  Judge  also. 

Pruine,  the  Judge,  harped  well  on  one  law, 
that  every  two  story  house  should  possess  two 
leathern  buckets,  in  case  of  sudden  fire ;  Pruine 
furnished  these  leathern  buckets  through  Peter ; 
need  more  be  said.  The  General  store  of  "Hus- 
kinson  and  Hunt"  was  the  center  of  many  a 
political  caucus ;  here'f armers  gathered  from  Ca- 
hokia,  with  their  carrots  of  tobacco  and  shaved 
deer,  and  boatmen,  with  knotted  kerchiefs,  par- 
leyed with  belligerent  butchers,  about  the  kill- 
ing of  beef,  until  votes  and  prices  raced  toward 
some  goal  and  when  the  promised  land  was 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  69 

finally  reached  "I  told  you  so,  why  didn't  ye 
listen  me"  was  boldly  flaunted  before  the  loser, 
who  lost  remembrance  of  every  failure  in  a  huge 
carouse  with  Charters  who  bawled  "Six  bits  th' 
less  fer  Merry  wid  th'  wild  cherry." 

Good  Dr.  Sanguine,  whose  name  was  a  syn- 
onym of  his  nature;  remarked  sagely;  "Well 
do  I  remember  the  two  new  judges,  when  they 
first  came  to  'Paine  Court'  from  the  American 
Bottoms,  so  marked  with  mosquito  bites,  that  I 
nigh  thought  their 's  was  a  case  of  Cow  Pox  at 
least  until  I  found  out  whence  they  had  drifted ; 
'Saracens  or  the  pesky  mosquito'  "  I  said: 
"May  they  not  make  a  che-root  o'  th'  law,  and 
compel  people  to  smoke  it ;  for  both  are  power- 
ful arguers;  even  Luke  Lawless'  flowery  rhet- 
oric cannot  convince  the  people  that  St.  Louis 
ought  to  have  a  well  built  jail,  a  large  court- 
house and  an  almshouse  to  house  lazy  bones 
who  refuse  to  work  for  themselves  or  families. ' ' 

So  spoke  the  good  leech  often  on  his  jour- 
neys to  and  fro,  patting  the  rich  on  the  back 
and  pocketbook  similtaneously,  smiling  helpful- 
ly on  poor  and  saying  indulgently  to  the  medi- 


70  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

cine  man. ' '  Your  herbs  are  fine  for  tonicing  the 
well ;  but  in  time  of  sickness,  naught  but  a  lancet 
will  release  bad  blood,  and  free  the  arteries 
from  clogging." 

The  West  was  thoroughly  aware  that  there 
was  great  profit  in  the  traffic  of  human  flesh, 
which  had  now  become  a  national  evil  so  well 
was  it  instituted. 

So  great  grew  this  depravity,  that  God  seem- 
ed to  veil  his  face  from  sight  of  earth;  but  he 
sent  a  message  into  one  heart  that  was  an 
electric  whispering:  "He  that  over-cometh, 
shall  inherit  all  things,  go  thou  and  prepare 
the  way. ' ' 

Mr.  Lovejoy  was  cognizant  that  politics  and 
religion  could  not  metalize  into  concrete  form ;  a 
message  must  be  carried  to  the  unthinking  pub- 
lic, who  never  read  news  but  heard  it. 

The  press  is  ever  an  instrument  of  reforma- 
tion and  in  time,  like  the  constant  dripping  on  a 
stone,  it  will  groove  its  way  into  the  core  of  the 
universe. 

He  determined  to  use  collateral  information, 
gleaned  from  many  points  as  special  data  when 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  71 

the  time  seemed  most  ripe,  and  to  delineate  a 
pathway  leading  toward  the  emancipation  of 
the  negro. 

He  was  a  close  friend  of  Judge  Peck  and 
often  admired  a  peculiar  habit  effected  by 
that  gentleman,  when  seeking  the  court  room; 
"These  are  times  that  try  men's  soul"  explain- 
ed the  Judge  significantly  pointing  out  some 
loathsome  sight  and  bandaging  his  eyes:  "un- 
less the  people  rise  from  the  depths  into  a 
Christian  life,  degeneration  will  surely  come; 
Oh  my  soul,  why  art  thou  disgusted  within  me. 

This  is  the  main  question  of  life,  upon  which 
all  subsidiary  points  hang ;  people  must  be  edu- 
cated not  through  debate  mouthed  too  often 
by  ignorant  people,  but  through  the  newspapers, 
that  will  fearlessly  investigate  all  sides  without 
fear  of  reproach  or  calumny : "  "  Thus  speaks 
the  statesman,  who  should  neither  be  a  coward 
nor  yet  a  poltroon"  replied  Mr.  Lovejoy,  who 
knew  many  citizens  called  the  learned  Judge's 
peculiar  habit  a  "Joke,"  little  knowing  that  it 
might  better  be  designated  as  a  trenchant  blade 
of  ball  and  dagger.  Much  like  Henry  Clay  or 


72  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Dan  '1  Webster,  Judge  Peck  perf erred  not  to  see 
the  far  off  horizon,  whence  came  so  many  un- 
desirable emigrants  seeking  a  promised  land, 
and  seeking  his  advise  in  land  grants ;  at  such 
times  the  kerchief  was  slipped  aside  for  a  mo- 
ment to  ascertain  the  correct  title  and  legalize 
it,  using  as  much  discretion  as  a  Spartan  at 
Thermopylae. 

"Oh  my  soul"  sighed  he  to  Mr.  Love  joy, 
"Why  art  thou  disgusted  within  me.  These 
sleeping  stones  fixed  in  their  beds  of  lime  are 
but  disabled.  But,  "throwing  aside  his  ker- 
chief and  showing  a  pair  of  brightly  alert 
eyes,  "let  us  review  the  'Lycurgus'  of  St.  Louis, 
David  Hill's  famous  regiment,  whom  he  calls 
the  wall  of  the  city,  every  man  of  whom  is  a 
brick." 

The  two  found  the  little  Captain  garbed  in 
yellow  waistcoat  and  wearing  purple  glasses, 
drilling  a  squad  of  amateur  soldiers  clad  in  long 
tailed  coats,  short  jackets  or  round-abouts,  each 
of  whom  carried  sticks,  broom  handles,  or  um- 
brellas, ad  libitum.  On  seeing  the  two,  the  little 
Captain  stopped  manoeuvres  and  hastened  to 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  73 

them;  "Judge  Peck:"  said  he  deferentially,  "I 
would  have  you  examine  Jim  Fisk's  oxmill  and 
pass  judgment  thereon,  so  that  at  next  court, 
I  can  convince  Henry  Geyer  that  my  invention 
upon  which  I  have  been  working  for  nigh 
twenty  odd  years  is  nearing  perfection ;  in  order 
that  he  may  know  that  I  am  the  inventor  of 
' Perpetual  Motion;'  Yes  sir  the  fifth  wheel  to  a 
watch  declares  that  is  the  secret ;  I  will  get  even 
balance  yet.  I  must  argue  that  fact  with  Henry 
in  court  whether  'tis  or  'tisn't." 

Judge  Peck  discreetly  kept  the  two  enemies 
apart  be  it  said,  only  telling  Josh  Barton  to 
keep  memorandum  of  a  date  which  he  never 
filled,  save  by  a  pinch  of  snuff. 

Judge  Peck  always  looked  to  Henry  Dodge 
to  open  court,  and  Judge  Lucas  to  represent 
the  people;  at  such  times  a  wrangle  began  be- 
tween Luke  Lawless  and  Lucas,  ending  only  by 
Judge  Peck  reminding  the  former  that  "fugi- 
tives irish  rebels  sent  to  the  frontiers  should 
not  be  considered  part  and  parcel  of  honorable 
men  who  came  to  America  at  the  invitation  of 
Dr.  Franklin. " 


74  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

The  target  found  its  mark  and  Lawless  re- 
torting was  promptly  suspended  with  bitter 
rage  tearing  at  his  heart. 

In  the  interval  of  that  day's  wrangle,  a  crier 
announced  that  Henry  Clay  was  coming;  and 
the  court  discontinued  work  temporarily  to  hear 
the  news. 

"A  tout  cavalier,  tout  honuour  cake  baked 
with  four  beans  within,  a  new  sconce,  fresh  tal- 
lowed walnut  floors  rubbed  to  shining  black- 
ness and  above  all,  white-wash  within  and  with- 
out was  the  general  order  given  to  do  honor  to 
the  Mill  Boy  0'  The  Slashes. 

He  came  in  due  time,  as  travel  was  most  un- 
certain in  those  days  and  the  tin  buffalo  sign 
hung  o'er  the  Missouri  Hotel  fairly  rattled  its 
sides  with  joy;  for  Henry  Clay  understood  his 
audience  and  labored  as  a  master  at  his  forge: 
when  pleas  failed  to  gain  applause  which  signi- 
fied approval,  the  Orator  used  threats,  but  in 
jocular  manner,  until  the  emotional  audience 
either  howeled  or  wept. 

Henry  Clay  used  his  dulcet  voice  with  pur- 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  75 

pose;  "The  gates  of  Cahokia  stand  wide  open, 
it  is  on  Illinois  soil.  The  emigrant  crosses  over 
to  Missouri,  where  the  soil  is  the  same  but  cul- 
ture different.  Here  the  rights  of  humanity 
are  biased  perchance;  American  citizens  you 
have  all  equal  rights,  it  is  so  written  in  the  con- 
stitution; why  not  heed  them.  Some  time  not 
far  distant  there  will  come  a  Liberator,  who  will 
take  up  the  white  man 's  burden  with  impunity. : ' 
"Who  is  he?"  and  the  whisper  passed  around: 
"Who  is  he,  what  does  he  mean."  The  Boni- 
faces without  hearing  the  silence  began  such  a 
terrific  tirade  that  Hez  King  shouted  to  Warren 
Ayres:  "Quell  thy  fellows,  their  intellect  is 
as  small  as  their  appetite  is  large." 

1 '  They  are  only  from  Bull  Head ' '  answered 
Mark  Ladue  to  Win.  Savage.  They  are  citizens 
nevertheless,  and  only  differ  in  lack  of  know- 
ledge more  than  station." 

But  to  Henry  Clay's  observant  eye,  these 
people  represented  "intolerance,"  who  needed 
the  search  light  of  the  press  to  sight  them. 

Archibal  Gamble  was  confided  in:  "After 
the  tempest,  when  the  wind  is  laid,  a  rainbow 


76  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

bows  the  sky ;  a  press,  that  is  not  afraid,  must 
be  established,  that  will  espouse  all  good 
causes  and  St.  Louis  shall  be  known  as  a  city  of 
moral  desire." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  77 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

"Still  often  does  the  lineal  race  in  darkness  find 
a  dwelling  place." — Byron. 

The  Bible  teaches  everywhere  that  dignity 
and  worth  makes  man  Ruler  of  mankind ;  where- 
as abandonment  of  sin  creates  a  trust,  that  can 
never  be  broken. 

Thistles  though  cultivated  still  remain  this- 
tles, but  flesh  alone  is  redeemed  by  cultivation. 

Ministerial  work  is  therefore  of  intrinsic 
value  in  the  writing  of  an  Epoch. 

The  early  French- Americans  of  St.  Louis 
were  yoked  to  Rome,  or  had  some  equivalent  as 
their  religion. 

Father  Gibault  bettered  many  a  citizen  or 
held  in  restraint  those  whose  ambitions  sought 
advancement  through  evil  ways :  for  many  men 
painted  those  strenuous  days  in  unnecessary 
blood,  toning  its  color  by  hell-fire. 

Then  as  even  now,  men  sought  to  escape 
punishment  through  money,  and  children  born 
amid  such  environment  reeked  in  an  atmos- 


78  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

phere  of  cajolery  and  soon  become  evil  through 
choice:  in  turn  they  produced  their  kind. 

Mr.  Love  joy's  educative  eye  beheld  this 
"Curse"  stalking  nakedly  about,  rejoicing  and 
holding  in  its  grasp  countless  thousands. 

About  this  time  the  East  was  pulsating  with 
heart-throbs;  something  must  be  done  to  ex- 
punge slavery  from  the  fair  brow  of  the  West. 

Returning  East  with  a  burning  desire  to  ob- 
tain instruction  as  how  best  to  proceed,  Mr. 
Love  joy  joined  hands  with  Lloyd  Garrison  and 
then  returned  West  with  an  obvious  means  of 
venture. 

The  gospel  must  be  spread  through  the 
press,  to  prove  and  hold  fast  that  which  is  good 
in  the  sight  of  God.  It  must  warn  of  evil,  sup- 
port the  weak  and  be  just  to  all  men.  It  was 
therefore  with  this  breatsplate  of  faith  and  love 
that  Mr.  Love  joy  was  spoken  of  as  the  anointed. 

Surely  the  "Rock  of  Salvation"  is  Hope, 
and  that  ever  brings  assurance  to  mankind. 

Feeling  that  his  work  should  meet  with  gen- 
eral approval,  Mr.  Lovejoy  established  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  79 

newspaper  called  the  "Observer."  It  was  quite 
small  and  modest  in  appearance,  but  earnest  in 
its  purpose.  It  reflected  truth  in  no  small  de- 
gree. 

It  looked  back  upon  the  Eeformation  thus: 
"  Three  hundred  years  ago,  freedom  of  speech 
was  a  seeming  myth,  used  by  no  one ;  then  light 
dawned,  viz.;  Kings  had  been  bound  to  their 
Cardinals,  Nobles  were  fettered  with  the  irons 
of  superstition,  until  they  grew  into  palsied 
wretches,  treasuring  pathetic  relics  of  every 
hue  and  name,  hoping  thus  to  gain  eternal 
salvation.  Emperor,  King,  Prince,  Peer  were 
all  chained  to  the  foot-stool  of  Rome  and  moral, 
political  and  social  destitution  became  most 
foul.  Bigotry  had  caused  feudalism,  it  had 
sought  America,  the  'land  of  the  free'." 

This  daring  beginning  caused  cynics  to  rub 
their  eyes  in  wonder  and  sneer  at  such  untimely 
talk. 

Hoping  for  the  support  of  many  staunch 
citizens,  the  Editor  then  sought  the  camp  meet- 
tings  around  Apple  Creek  and  Potosi;  to  his 
surprise  he  found  a  spokesman  there,  in  a  Mr. 


80  THE  FIFTH  SEAL 

Potts,  who  had  hitherto  been  a  bright  light 
among  religious  circles. 

"You  are  making  a  grievous  error,  Mr. 
Lovejoy,  in  hitting  at  the  good  Catholics  of  your 
city.  You  are  causing  a  black  cloud  to  rise 
upon  your  future  horizon." 

"My  cause  is  just,"  replied  Mr.  Lovejoy. 

"It  may  be  so,  but  the  citizens  are  quite 
vexed;  they  are  not  knights  of  a  golden  horse- 
shoe; they  are  land  hungry;  it  has  not  been  so 
long  since  they  listened  to  the  tales  of  the  fabu- 
lent  Friar  Hennepan,  who  prophesied  that  the 
Louisiana  purchase  was  a  golden  certainty  for 
all  who  would  taste  of  political  joy.  Pity,  in- 
deed, that  the  Missouri  Compromise  did  not 
extend  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  in  order  to  quell  the 
secret  South  into  silence." 

"It  beseeches  the  constitution  to  extend  its 
revenue. ' ' 

"But  not  for  amusement,"  suggested  Mr. 
Potts,  knowingly.  "Are  you  a  man  suited  to 
take  up  disseminations  of  this  character?" 

"I  am  a  man  suited  for  the  times,  even  as 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  81 

was  Paul  and  Barnabas  for  dissertation.  I  am 
not  a  politician,  I  seek  to  dispel  that  idea;  I 
would  make  the  Observer  a  touch-stone  of  re- 
demption, a  touch-stone  that  casts  away  all 
drift-wood. ' ' 

The  Observer  wrote  again : 

"The  church  is  a  center  of  gravity,  and 
Rome  is  the  head  and  soul  of  a  confederacy  that 
has  in  it  the  mob  cry.  The  masses  of  France 
were  once  kept  in  dense  ignorance,  until  military 
prowess,  with  its  skill  and  inquiry,  liberated 
them;  then  it  was  that  Nobles,  Statesmen, 
Leaders,  Prelates  realized  the  Gauls  to  be  of 
most  fiery  nature.  Did  the  Napoleonic  war  of 
opinion  destroy  or  impede  the  march  of  relig- 
ion toward  its  freedom?" 

Thus  somewhat  rashly  had  the  Observer 
showed  the  dragon's  teeth  of  discord  during 
its  early  life;  perhaps  it  was  but  a  religious 
test,  for  Mr.  Lovejoy  believed  with  John 
Adams  of  1780  that  habits  are  ever  formed  not 
made. 

Again  the  Observer  portrayed  a  most  vivid 
picture  of  a  flying  negro  hotly  pursued  by  an 


82  THE  PlFTH  SEAL. 

irate  and  drunken  master  with  his  hounds.  In 
front  was  a  haven  of  hope,  perhaps  death — 
the  deeply  flowing  Mississippi  River. 

The  frightened  negro  hoped  thus  to  escape ; 
but  he  was  weakened  from  flight  and  presently 
fell  prone  upon  the  levee,  a  helpless  victim  to 
the  sharp  blacksnake  whip  which  his  master 
carried;  here  he  remained  too  weak  to  arise, 
but  beheld  his  master  building  a  pyre  around 
him.  "Kill  me,  Master,  kill  me,"  he  moaned, 
despairingly.  Soon  cruel  flames  rose  about  his 
emaciated  form  burning  with  unrelenting 
fierceness,  until  it  finally  sapped  his  life  and 
naught  remained  but  a  charred  body  and  black- 
ened skull;  this  the  drunken  master  kicked 
aside  for  hockey  players. 

"He  is  an  example,"  said  he,  with  much 
profanity,  "of  a  Virginia  nigger." 

"Yes,"  continued  the  Observer,  sententi- 
ously ;  ' '  only  a  negro,  to  whom  Virginia  denied 
the  Bible;  only  a  negro  owned  by  a  modern 
Nero,  who  refused  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  re- 
lieve the  parched  lips,  cracked  and  bleeding  in 
death,  lips  that  framed  a  prayer  of  hope.  This 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  83 

circumstance  but  cites  that  the  sesame  of  Mis- 
souri is  '  Slavery, '  in  its  most  hideous  form. ' ' 

Having  thrown  the  search-light  upon  this 
episode,  Hez  King,  Wm.  Savage  and  John  Kerr 
roundly  berated  Sheriff  Brotherton  for  going 
hunting  and  leaving  no  power  of  authority 
behind. 

The  incident  had  pretty  well  blown  over 
when  the  Sheriff  returned  home  so  he  was  not  in 
the  least  worried. 

"I  'lowed  Gab  "Warner  ought  ter  tended  tor 
th'  law;  though  I  'low  thet  every  man  hez  a 
right  ter  destroy  his  property;  or  th'  master 
should  pay  th'  law  in  gold  mayhaps.  Seein'  it 
is  all  over  now,  I  kant  see  ez  heow  I  ken  intrude 
on  hisn  privacy." 

So  saying,  the  Sheriff  filled  the  pipe  of  Jus- 
tice Walsh  with  stem  tobacco,  remarking  as  an 
example  of  excuse : 

"You  know  I  hev  corn  in  my  garden  fifteen 
feet  high,  with  sunshine  and  slaves  ter  husk  it 
down;  I  impress  them  ez  how  it  is  for  their  food 
an'  hev  no  trouble  whatever;  an',  sir,  believe 
or  not,  next  door  is  the  garden  of  Seth  Brown 


84  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

ez  dry  ez  a  board,  growin'  nothing  but  weeds; 
slaves  ar'  a  prime  necessity  in  domestic  living. 
I  'low  ez  th'  Observer  is  floatin'  along  on  a  dan- 
gerous journey,  w'en  it  attacks  respectable 
people." 

Soon  after  this  episode,  it  behooved  Luke 
Lawless  to  visit  Mr.  Lovejoy. 

Now,  Mr.  Lawless  was  reared  under  the 
doctrine  of  St.  Omer,  whence  so  many  priests 
sprang.  This  gentleman  felt  the  time  had  come 
to  renew  his  oath  of  allegiance  again  to  Amer- 
ica, since  many  weighty  affairs  were  approach- 
ing their  ultimatum. 

The  loafers  around  the  store  of  Huskinson 
and  Hunt  took  notice  that  the  lawyer  with 
sharp-beaked  visage  was  going  in  the  direction 
of  Mr.  Lovejoy 's  home  and  his  manner  seemed 
most  aggressive. 

"It  is  a  case  of  eat  or  be  eaten,"  said  they 
intuitively.  "Little  wonder  Judge  Lucas  feels 
his  flesh  creep  when  he  is  near  him,  for  behind 
Lawless  stands  the  shade  of  his  dead  son, 
Charles  Lucas." 

"Paine    Court    lives    still,"    declared    the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  85 

white-haired  Van  Bibbler  to  his  friend,  Ben 
Provenchere,  who  was  busy  whittling  never 
ending  rubber  rings  for  his  friends  as  gifts. 

"I  started  to  whittle  these  rings  that  June 
day,  1820,  while  waiting  for  the  constitution  to 
be  formed,  they  still  keep  me  from  rheumatics," 
he  laughed;  "an'  of  all  th'  frolics  that  day, 
with  round-heads;  their  careless  ways  were 
ignoble,  an'  marked  them  plainly  as  just  inden- 
tured slaves  too,  though  of  white  color.  They 
looked  to  the  church  for  good  advice,  and  payed 
all  their  debts  with  young  and  growing  negroes. 
The  servile  people  will  always  think  the  negroes 
a  stigma  upon  their  own  labor;  for  they  call 
them  the  beasts  of  th'  field,  saying  their  Bible 
tells  them  so;  and  the  poor  white  trash  are  the 
cattle." 

Perchance  these  gentlemen  looked  upon  Mr. 
Lovejoy  as  a  Paul  in  tribulation,  for  seeking 
the  truine  of  life  in  the  rule  of  Garrison  Phillips 
and  Kitchener.  Because  forty-eight  slave  ves- 
sels from  the  coast  of  Africa  had  come  to 
America  with  human  traffic,  should  slavery  be- 
come an  institution  in  the  west? 


86  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Judge  Peck  hurried  to  warn  his  friend, 
"Beware  of  the  public  anger,  Mr.  Lovejoy. 
The  Mayor  has  appointed  eighty-three  men  to 
report  the  names  of  all  abolitionists  and  rumor 
has  it,  all  suspects  will  be  lynched." 

"I  am  not  an  abolitionist,"  replied  Mr. 
Xiovejoy,  feelingly,  "I  am  an  Emancipationist. " 

Nevertheless,  the  Editor  found  his  house 
placarded  with  obscene  pictures  and  every  edi- 
tion of  the  Observer  was  heralded  with  jeers. 

It  was  after  such  insults,  that  Mr.  Lovejoy 
once  more  found  Luke  Lawless  leaning  on 
his  gate  in  nonchalant  mood.  The  day  had 
been  harassing  and  the  Editor  was  weary;  his 
foot  crushed  a  jimson  weed  growing  in  his  path- 
way and  unconsciously  he  stooped  to  pull  it  up. 

"It  is  too  tenacious,  Mr.  Lovejoy,"  said  the 
suave  voice  of  Lawless,  though  he  smiled  con- 
temptuously enough. 

"I  never  let  such  seed  grow,"  answered  the 
calm  voice  of  Mr.  Lovejoy. 

' '  Still  obnoxious  weeds  stain  the  hands,  why 
not  pick  flowers  instead;  Mr.  Lovejoy,  you  are 
a  politician  and  will  have  an  assured  living,  if 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  87 

you  but  put  a  little  more  cord  around  your 
whip  handle;  when  you  were  an  organ  of  the 
St.  Louis  Times  you  tasted  of  the  joys  of  polit- 
ical insight;  but  the  proprietors  muzzled  you; 
they  used  their  paper  only  as  a  Beacon  Light." 

Luke  Lawless  was  crafty  by  nature  and  all 
men  rather  feared  him;  he  was  a  well-poised 
man  mentally,  and  quite  fearless  as  to  chance. 

"Editor,  you  are  quite  as  adept  at  building 
bridges  and  like  any  modern  Caesar  of  today 
you  hope  to  eventually  stem  the  current  of  pub- 
lic opinion  by  creating  chimera  for  the  young 
and  finding  periwinkles  for  the  old.  But  Caesar 
died  ere  he  accomplished  his  purpose ;  hence  do 
not  attempt  to  build  a  tower  of  Babel." 

"I  am  not  attempting  an  impossibility 
Luke  Lawless,  for  there  is  only  one  religion  on 
earth;  it  is  that  of  right  living;"  as  he  spoke 
these  last  words,  Mr.  Lovejoy's  hand  touched  :i 
letter  he  had  received  that  day  from  Uncle 
George,  which  read:  " After  years  of  patient 
wating,  I  have  built  my  sea  wall,  so  my  life  has 
not  been  in  vain ;  for  God  gave  me  each  day  my 
daily  work." 


88  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

With  such  an  assurance  in  his  heart,  was  it 
little  wonder  that  Mr.  Lovejoy  whispered  rev- 
erently, "God  is  still  in  the  heaven  and  all's 
well  with  the  world. ' ' 

At  these  words  Luke  Lawless  grew  purple 
with  rage ;  from  his  eyes  there  glanced  a  fierce 
glint  not  unlike  the  look  of  a  wild  boar. 

In  Mr.  Lovejoy 's  ecstatic  mood,  he  presented 
to  his  antagonist  the  picture  of  the  burning 
bush  of  Horeb.  Therefore  it  was  not  at  all 
shocking  when  a  fierce  imprecation  burst  from 
the  lawyer's  lips. 

"I  thought  to  bring  you  a  message,"  said 
the  latter,  pulling  himself  together  sullenly; 
' '  But  you  would  fain  be  a  Coriolanus  and  storm 
the  Volscii;  so  be  it,"  he  turned  sharply  away; 
but  not  before  he  saw  the  rays  of  the  setting 
sun  circle  the  head  of  the  Editor  with  a  flaming 
halo. 

Was  the  Editor  a  radical  because  he  dared 
to  do  right! 

Did  he  disregard  the  fact  that  many  fingers 
were  thumbing  the  string  of  hatred  against  him 
and  his  course?  Chas.  Hammond  declared  in 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  89 

the  Cincinnati  Gazette  that  an  abolitionist  was 
just  a  fanatic.  Was  he  one  f  No.  He  was  but 
a  soldier  of  the  cross  espoused  to  a  Christian 
cause.  He  was  an  Emancipationist,  and  this 
name  signified  equal  rights,  justice;  harken  to 
the  cries  of  tortured  slaves,  the  shrieks  of  young 
children  calling  to  their  lonely  hearth-stones; 
in  His  own  way,  God  had  heard,  and  He  ap- 
pointed Elijah  Lovejoy  to  be  his  messenger. 

What  if  the  scimetar  of  Saladin  was  sharp- 
ening, the  Observer  must  go  on,  since  it  had 
begun  the  crusade. 

Filled  with  the  greatest  alarm,  Mr.  Potts 
once  more  approached  Mr.  Lovejoy: 

"This  city  is  full  of  tar  barrels;  Southern 
movement  is  at  the  bottom  of  it  all.  Repub- 
licans are  urged  to  be  neutral  and  not  favor 
emigration.  Popular  feeling  will  influence  all 
politics.  Bead  what  the  New  York  Courier  and 
Enquirer  says,  'They  will  champion  the  major- 
ity,' and  'We  will  perpetuate  the  wishes  of  the 
citizens.'  Listen  to  the  discordant  Observer, 
Pshaw:  it  would  depopulate  St.  Louis'." 

To  this,  Mr.  Lovejoy  made  reply:    "I  will 


90  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

not  yield  to  any  resolutions  presented  by 
Christian  Editors,  who  declare  that  slavery  was 
sanctioned  by  the  scriptures;  I  do  not  wish  to 
offend,  but  I  maintain  my  rights  to  defend  a 
truth." 

About  this  time,  Mr.  Love  joy  felt  the  hot 
breath  of  mob-law  fanning  his  cheek. 

' '  Why  act  contrary  to  the  synod  ? ' '  asked  the 
earnest  Mr.  Potts.  "There  are  many  in  the 
church  that  will  declare  you  are  turning  society 
upside  down,  by  declaring  that  black  is  white." 

The  Observer  only  answered  thus :  "Slavery 
is  paralyzing  the  energies  of  the  white  people. 
It  is  dwarfing  property,  civilization,  education. 
Missouri  will  be  a  wonderfully  favored  state, 
once  slavery  is  removed,  for  hidden  in  its  soil 
is  untold  wealth  waiting  to  be" mined;  remove 
from  its  brow  the  crown  of  Cyprus  and  replace 
thereon  the  oak.  Morally  and  religiously  slav- 
ery is  a  social  evil. 

Gradual  emancipation  is  its  only  remedy; 
read  the  laws  of  the  prophets:  'All  things 
whatsoever  ye  would,  that  man  do  to  you,  do  ye 
even  so  to  him. '  Slavery  is  a  system ;  rights  of 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  91 

husband  and  wife  are  abolished  at  the  caprice 
of  a  master,  nameless  pollutions  are  enacted. 
In  the  words  of  the  Patriarch  I  too  cry:  ''Oh 
my  soul  come  not  into  their  secrets;  into  their 
assembly  mine  honor  be  not  united." 

Such,  indeed,  were  the  principles  of  the 
Observer,  basing  its  rights  strictly  upon  the 
constitution,  found  in  the  sixteenth  section  of 
Article  1£ : 

"Free  communication  of  thoughts  and  opin- 
ions are  invaluable  rights  of  man,  and  every 
person  may  freely  speak,  write  and  print  on 
any  subject  being  responsible  for  any  abuse  of 
that  liberty." 

The  Observer  later  on  inquired:  "Who 
was  the  Christian  elder  that  flogged  his  slave 
to  death  a  fortnight  ago?  Does  the  Editor 
stand  under  that  suspended  whip  through  sta- 
bility of  opinion?  The  Observer  does  not  want 
Catholic  votes,  but  the  Argus  does  and  also  the 
Republic." 

About  this  time,  the  citizens  at  large  were 
thoroughly  incensed;  a  call  was  issued  for  the 
Hurrah  Boys  to  raze  the  office  of  the  Observer. 


92  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

"It  is  a  modern  Pharlasis,"  cried  Luke 
Lawless. 

To  this  the  Observer  made  its  characteristic 
reply:  "The  Observer  does  not  seek  its  fate 
within  the  brazen  bull  of  invention ;  it  speaks  as 
did  Polypharius  to  Ulyssis,  'Beware  of  being 
the  last  to  be  devoured.'  " 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  93 

CHAPTER  IX. 

"Fear  not,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right 
hand  of  righteousness" — Isaiah. 

In  all  records  of  the  West  at  this  time,  Na- 
tional Law  seemed  to  be  kaleidescopic  in  effect ; 
profiteering  was  an  open  question  that  scoffed 
at  the  virtue  of  wisdom.  The  borderland 
quarrel  between  Benton  and  Jackson  was  then 
raging;  the  latter  advocated  that  cheap  land 
was  to  be  held  for  settlers.  The  Times  adver- 
tised this  political  strife  with  great  satisfac- 
tion, while  the  New  York  Courier  and  Inquir- 
er, (one-time  champions  of  Catholicism)  started 
a  bitter  tirade  against  it.  Added  to  all  this 
agitation,  the  stench  of  slavery  filled  the  nostrils 
of  America. 

Twenty  staunch  citizens  met  with  the  May- 
or; Mr.  Benton  and  Mr.  Barton  challenged  the 
people. 

"But,"  cried  Mayor  Carr,  "How  shall  St. 
Louis  get  rid  of  Slavery  without  great  loss  to 
the  owners  ?  Shall  we  print  resolutions  or  scat- 
ter circulars  during  election?  Henry  Clay  de- 


94  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

clares  we  must  save  the  union;  the  South,  the 
East,  the  West  are  superior  in  men  and  means ; 
Congress  is  using  strenuous  methods  to  prevent 
secession  of  southern  delegates,  for  it  does  not 
want  to  act  separately.  The  time  is  drawing 
nearer  yet  nearer  for  emancipation  to  do  won- 
ders for  Missouri;  truly  the  situation  is  per- 
plexing. ' ' 

News    of   this    meeting   soon    spread,    and 
caused  considerable  jingle: 
11  Fighting    is    bravery,    while    silence    means 

knavery ; 

Quarreling  is  savory,  for  Missouri  loves  slav- 
ery." 

Then  it  was,  that  the  Observer  bugled  forth 
again:  "The  pioneers  favor  the  Jesuits  with 
passing  puns,  as  soon  forgotten  as  read;  but 
Truth  never  dies,  for  its  teeth  are  a  sharp 
threshing  instrument,  that  crushes  even 
mountains  and  beats  them  small.  Then  shall 
a  whirl-wind  carry  them  away,  and  the  Lord 
will  rejoice  in  the  glory  of  a  just  cause." 

There  followed  a  plain  exposure  of  the  evils 
existing  in  convents  and  monasteries.  Popish 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  95 

altars  were  roundly  abused  and  the  Jesuits  of 
the  wilderness  spoken  of  as  naught  but  political 
spies. 

The  Catholics  read  this  tirade  with  an 
amazement,  that  sprang  into  blazing  anger. 

The  proprietors  of  the  Observer  hastened  in 
the  greatest  alarm  to  the  daring  Editor  and  in 
their  consternation,  offered  to  settle  all  debts 
and  take  the  paper  off  his  hands  entirely. 

"You  have  used  the  Observer  as  a  flaming 
torch  to  scorch  the  people ;  the  Hurrah  Boys  are 
invincible  foes,  you  may  be  mobbed  any  mo- 
ment. ' ' 

"My  paper  is  but  an  edge  of  flame,  for  the 
work  will  never  stop  whether  I  go  or  stay." 

Nevertheless,  Mr.  Lovejoy  sought  out  Mr. 
Moore  privately,  saying,  "God's  hand  is  now  on 
the  helm,  shall  the  ship  pass  on?" 

Mr.  Moore  knew  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  most  anx- 
ious to  remain,  for  he  was  about  to  marry  the 
lovely  Miss  French,  who  believed  as  he  did  In 
the  rights  of  humanity. 

The  Observer,  too,  had  a  large  circulation; 
it  had  not  really  produced  the  cause  of  agita- 


96  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

tion;  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  but  a  modern  Cicero  in 
declaring  that  in  the  constitution  was  found  a 
perpetual  republic. 

Did  he  wish  to  remain  amid  danger  and 
still  go  on? 

"It  is  a  war  of  opinions,"  answered  Mr. 
Lovejoy  with  confident  truth  of  approval; 
"God's  infinite  wisdom  bids  me  stay." 

"Then  be  of  good  cheer,  Editor;  but  I  warn 
you  be  cautious,"  replied  Mr.  Gamble,  who 
acquiesced  in  this  great  cause.  "You  are  one 
of  the  faithful  few  that  walk  the  land." 

"That  I  may  walk  with  Him,"  concluded 
Mr.  Lovejoy,  fervently.  "If  the  constitution 
opened  the  way  for  future  abolition  of  slavery, 
then  has  truth  but  declared  itself. ' ' 

So  it  was,  that  the  Observer  continued  on  its 
mission  but  with  this  result;  citizens  began 
to  carry  open  weapons  and  tread  softly,  while 
their  smile  resembled  the  grin  of  an  hyena,  for 
bargain  and  corruption  ran  rampant  among 
them. 

Public  office  often  generates  a  jimson  weed. 
Many  said  with  bated  breath,  that  Henry  Clay, 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  97 

with  all  his  generous  impulses,  was  really 
an  accomplice  of  Aaron  Burr. 

The  Observer,  however,  spoke  very  broadly 
of  Henry  Clay,  declaring  the  Father  of  the  Mis- 
souri Compromise  was  like  the  sweet  kernel  of 
the  nut ;  and  it  also  hinted  at  jealousy. 

"But  what  is  the  essence  of  the  Missouri 
Compromise,"  asked  curious  citizens,  keenly 
alert  to  misnomer.  "  There  shall  be  neither 
slavery  nor  voluntary  servitude  beyond  the 
southern  boundary." 

''But  our  cotton  fields,  our  rice  fields,  who 
will  work  them?  No  white  man  surely  will  take 
upon  himself  the  labor  of  a  slave." 

"It  came  from  a  feudal  compact  and  so  must 
be." 

"Will  not  claws  and  teeth  once  more  place 
Andrew  Jackson  in  the  presidential  chair ;  even 
as  he  broke  into  the  Floridasl  He  was  a  vic- 
torious general  then,  and  his  case  was  not  unlike 
that  of  a  recent  director  of  a  liquidated  Bank 
of  Missouri  who  gained  his  goal  of  .Senate  as  a 
flower  of  the  field.  Time  will  however  make 
Thos.  Benton  the  preference  of  the  West;  for 


98  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

despite  his  bigotry,  Old  Bullion  commands  much 
respect,  because  of  his  great  geographical 
achievements  and  geological  endeavors." 

Standing  under  the  limelight  of  exposure, 
Henry  Clay  began  to  fully  realize  that  readable 
material  was  a  mighty  essential  to  further  his 
motives ;  he  was  a  statesman,  who  knew  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  the  Press. 

"The  Press,  will  tell  all!"  said  he. 

"The  commonwealth  advocates  gradual 
emancipation,  such  as  Wm.  Penn,  the  benevo- 
lent, asked;  who  are  the  citizens  that  would 
retain  border  life,  buckskin  fringes  and  powder 
horn  for  defense?  Did  not  the  treaty  of  1818 
give  much  land  to  the  white  people!  Did  not 
the  Indians  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  conclude 
their  treaty  by  accepting  a  few  thousand  dollars 
in  merchandise,  and  the  right  to  hunt  and  fish  on 
lands  farther  west.  Ninian  Edwards  and  Au- 
gustus Chouteau  had  the  power  as  United 
States  commissioners  to  meet  all  contingen- 
cies. Was  it  but  a  substitute  found  for  negro 
slavery  ? ' ' 

This  voice  called  over  to  Illinois,  and  caused 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  99 

a  republican  newspaper  to  call  a  convention  to 
amend  the  constitution,  if  needs  be;  it  also 
suggested  that  a  slave  be  supplied  as  a  speci- 
men from  the  midst  of  slavery  to  prove  that 
the  master  was  a  man  of  generous  senti- 
ments. It  is  needless  to  say  this  suggestion 
failed  in  intent. 

The  acrimonious  Observer  was  openly 
threatened;  much  obsecene  literature  was 
thrown  around  the  city  by  those  incensed;  in  a 
short  time  the  office  of  the  Observer  was  com- 
pletely razed  and  the  Editor  forced  to  flee  over 
into  Illinois  with  his  family,  for  safety.  Foot- 
sore and  weary,  they  tarried  far  out  in  the  coun- 
try at  the  house  of  Major  Sibleys,  until  the  lit- 
tle boat  for  Alton  came  along. 

"Alas !  My  good  people,  the  saloon  thug,  the 
sand  bagger,  the  vilest  men  have  freedom  of  the 
vote,  but  not  so,  the  low-browed  and  ignorant 
son  of  Africa,"  sighed  the  persecuted  Editor. 


100  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

CHAPTER  X. 

"He  spake  to  them  in  a  cloudy  pillow,  and  they 
kept  his  ordinance." — Psalms. 

When  Congress  secured  to  the  settlers  of 
Virginia,  deeds  of  cession  as  a  slave-holding 
county  in  1737,  the  legislature  passed  a  law  of 
qualified  introduction  of  slavery  into  Illinois 
and  Indiana.  Many  emigrants  drifted  over  the 
national  trail,  carrying  along  much  profitable 
baggage  called  indentured  slaves,  all  of  whom 
held  certificates  of  freedom;  as  an  example  of 
humanitarianism,  Illinois  fined  all  delinquents 
$500,  if  registration  had  not  been  complied  with. 
The  year  1824  showed  that  the  will  of  the  people 
wanted  to  expel  slavery  from  the  broad  prairies 
of  Illinois,  adding  aside  that  the  slave  was  a 
most  valuable  adjunct  however  in  the  salt  mines 
of  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 

Though  there  lived  at  this  time  a  pious  man 
of  magnificent  strength  and  of  great  enduring 
qualities,  by  the  name  of  Peter  Cartright,  itin- 
erant circuit  rider,  yet,  beyond  preaching  to  the 
masses  to  save  souls,  this  religious  man  busied 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  101 

himself  only  in  his  mission,  viz.,  that  of  rescuing 
persecuted  pilgrims  afflicted  with  the  " Jerks" 
and  in  extemporizing  with  the  Lollard  robe  of 
red.  Did  Peter  Cartright  lift  his  voice  in 
slavery's  cause! 

The  year,  1818,  had  passed  with  its  wild-cat 
schemes,  spoken  of  as  the  Will  of  the  People, 
but  boot-legging  and  kidnapping  remained  with 
a  large  scope  of  territory. 

Finally  a  well-known  lawyer  threatened  the 
settlers  by  dangling  the  Black  Laws  and  round- 
ly denounced  Ninian  Edwards  as  the  Juggler 
behind  the  throne,  who  had  long  considered  that 
General  Jackson  had  really  no  just  grounds  in 
considering  the  dissatisfied  case  of  Calhoun. 

Ninian  Edwards  was  not,  however,  averse  to 
revising  the  State  Constitution,  and  strongly 
urged  a  convention,  until  finally  the  streets  of 
Vandalia  rang  out  this  cry;  "Convention  or 
death." 

Then  it  was,  that  mincing  steps  turned  into 
manly  strides,  for  Illinois  might  yet  wear  a  garb 
of  national  issue ;  many  a  man  put  his  shoulder 
to  his  wheel  with  a  law  all  his  own:  for  they 


102  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

would  not  toss  the  freedom  of  their  birth  into 
air.  There  were  many  things  witnessed  against 
the  laxity  of  legal  rights. 

Hence  it  was  " Convention  or  death."  The 
cry  ran  like  wildfire  throughout  the  state.  Party 
cries  soon  caused  incendiarism  and  it  was  not 
long  ere  the  State  House  at  Vandalia  became  a 
flaming  torch,  indicating  again,  * '  the  will  of  the 
people. " 


Once  known  by  the  Indian  name  of  Ouatogo, 
near-by  Alton,  representing  a  thriving  popula- 
tion, vied  with  St.  Louis  In  an  anticipated 
growth  of  population. 

This  town  was  situated  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  Father  of  Waters  and  was  about  twenty-one 
miles  distant  from  St.  Louis.  It  was  platted  out 
with  a  river  view  that  was  unsurpassed  in  its 
beauty;  in  its  salad  days,  Alton,  instead  of 
streets,  had  many  circuitous  paths  leading  to  a 
centre  called  the  Market  House,  situated  on  a 
high  hill,  leading  from  the  river. 

Many  celebrities  met  at  this  given  point; 
here,  too,  many  rustlers  and  idlers  passed 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 


103 


through,  without  object,  save  to  see  one  another, 
or  to  appoint  some  other  place  of  meeting,  per- 
chance far  out  in  the  country  within  some  hid- 
den cavern  hung  with  crystal  stalactites  or 
reeking  with  calcareous  stalagmites. 


THE  PIASA  BIRD. 

Actually  Pictographed  on  the  Lime-Stone  Bluffs  at  Alton 
(Illinois)  as  late  as  1837. 

Limestone  bluffs  protected  this  town  on  the 
south.  In  the  diary  of  Captain  Eaton  is  found 
this  note :  "On  the  limestone  bluff  o'erhanging 
the  highest  point  of  the  Mississippi  is  painted  a 
picture  of  a  huge  man-eating  bird  known  to  the 


104  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Indians  as  the  'Piasa  Bird.'  It  is  a  fierce-look- 
ing dragon,  with  the  face  of  a  man,  claws  or 
talons  of  a  vulture  and  an  immense  and  power- 
ful tail  that  wraps  around  its  scaled  body  with  a 
murderous  strength.  It  is  painted  in  red,  green 
and  yellow,  and  no  doubt  was  a  map  and  chart 
of  the  ancient  wandering  Indians  who  infested 
this  point,  when  Ouatogo  was  Chief,  and  whom 
tradition  says  offered  himself  as  sacrifice  for  his 
tribe  in  order  to  exterminate  this  bird  that  had 
its  eyrie  high  above  the  reach  of  man  and  lived 
on  human  fiesh.  Its  screech  preluding  its  swoop, 
turned  its  prey,  through  fear,  into  an  inanimate 
being.  Such  runs  the  tale  in  this  year  1837." 

This  tradition  existed  long  before  the  power- 
ful Miami  had  formed  a  confederacy  and  named 
themselves  "Illini,"  meaning,  "We  are  men, 
not  dogs." 

So  Alton,  like  all  notable  villages,  had  its 
tradition,  springing  from  the  myth  of  a  Chinese 
dragon,  when  that  part  of  the  country  was  in- 
habited by  the  children  of  nature  called  the 
Indians. 

Will  history  finally  declare  the  Indians  to  be 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  105 

one  of  the  ten  lost  tribes  of  Israel,  who  cross- 
ing over  "Behring  Island,"  when  it  joined 
America  and  Asia,  populated  ancient  America? 
In  proof  of  which,  behold  their  burnt  offerings, 
their  religious  rites,  their  Ark  of  Covenant  car- 
ried to  war,  their  seclusion  of  males  at  certain 
times  of  year,  all  of  which  indicates  a  Jewish 
origin.  For  "Behold  they  went  to  the  far  East, 
where  man's  foot  had  never  trod." 

Excavations  around  Alton  today  indicate  it 
to  be  as  ancient  as  Cahokia  in  geological  relics. 
Its  glorious  hills  remind  one  of  Psalms  121 — 
first  verse:  "I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the 
hills,  from  whence  cometh  my  help.'* 

It  was  to  this  beautious  town  therefore,  that 
the  Editor  of  the  Observer  came  with  most 
anxious  heart,  knowing  that  Ninian  Edwards, 
the  Governor  had  legalized  free  schools  there. 
St.  Louis  was  fearing  that  this  alone  would 
place  education  on  a  high  pedestal  in  Illinois, 
and  thus  help  politics  in  no  small  degree. 

Was  it  a  hazardous  step  for  Mr.  Lovejoy 
to  go  into  a  state  nearby  that  was  just  knock- 
ing at  the  door  of  knowledge!  Or  was  it  that 


106  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

risk  men  will  take  in  public  life,  that  so  often 
leads  to  stultification  of  some  kind  not  met  with 
elsewhere  ? 

Doubtless  it  was  his  mordant  nature  that 
kept  the  Editor  near  his  vantage  ground,  Mis- 
souri. 

As  the  steamboat  Palmyra  neared  Alton  on 
his  initial  trip,  Mr.  Lovejoy  found  himself  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  village  gossip,  who  declared 
himself  a  recent  convert  to  Christianity. 

"I  kenna  get  o'er  the  chat  o'  th'  town;  an' 
seein'  you  be  new  to  our  mixture  o'  people,  I'd 
lik'  fur  ter  say,  thar  be  many  a  shearer  o'  sheep 
in  our  flock.  Thar  be  yon  Leech  standin'  near 
th'  prow;  he's  full  o'  brimstun  an'  hell  fire  et 
times;  he  chirps  wid  Peter  Cartright,  that  he 
fears  neither  man  or  devil,  sez  he's  met  both 
often.  He's  strong  on  th'  lance  is  th'  Leech;  an' 
declares  he  '11  kill  or  cure ;  while  hisn  sick  prays, 
he  swars.  He  sez,  'Beginnin'  an'  endin'  is 
zactly  th'  same.'  " 

"But,"  interrupted  his  hearer  softly,  "It  is 
the  living  between  that  counts. ' ' 

"You  mought  be  right,  sir;  cum  ter  think  o' 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  107 

it,  you  ar'  right.  It  is  th'  livin'  twixt  thet 
counts;  you  make  me  think,  sir.  Yon  Leech  is 
frum  Virginia,  Sir,  whar  th'  nigger  is  a  nigger 
he  sez,  an'  as  pesky  a  critter  ez  you'd  want  ter 
see;  I  ken  see  news,  thet's  why  I  am  fur  tellin' 
all  newcomers  the  kereckter  o'  th'  people;  but 
th'  roustabouts  is  shoutin'  summin." 

He  moved  farther  in  to  hear,  returning  in  a 
short  time  to  report:  "We're  past  Chippewa 
Landin'  an'  th'  press  is  ter  be  left  thar.  Yon 
Leech  was  sayin'  ter  th'  Captain,  'Let  eddi- 
cation  be  for  a  few,  it  is  beyond  these  times.'  " 

Though  concerned  about  his  press,  Mr.  Love- 
joy  felt  much  assurance  in  these  words  that 
filled  his  heart :  "In  Thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  put  my 
trust,  let  me  never  be  put  to  confusion." 


108  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

CHAPTER  XL 

"Fret  Not  Because  of  Evil  Doers" — Psalm. 

Alton  boasted  of  an  inventor  called  General 
Semple,  who  foreordained  the  present  automo- 
bile in  his  invention,  called  a  Schooner.  This 
monster  skimmed  o'er  the  prairies  like  a  bird, 
or  sailed  upon  the  waters  like  a  nautilus.  Wise- 
acres looked  askance  at  this  wonder,  saying,  "It 
is  like  David  Hill 's  perpetual  motion  machine ; 
it  needs  a  fifth  wheel  to  perfect  it." 

On  holidays  all  the  lads  and  lassies  from 
around  the  country  took  a  free  ride,  though  with 
considerable  trepidation  be  it  said,  as  citizens 
hurried  out  of  its  uncertain  path ;  some  named  it 
' '  Touch-Me-Not, ' '  which  seemed  a  most  fitting 
name,  for  it  was  inclined  to  overbalance  itself 
by  an  overhanging  upper  deck,  heavily  bedecked 
with  wild  flowers  to  give  it  a  festive  appear- 
ance and  also  to  invite  admiration. 

In  reality,  it  failed  of  purpose ;  but  this  fact 
did  not  daunt  the  General  in  the  least ;  his  hobby 
grew  with  a  still  more  ardent  desire.  "I  hope 
to  do  away  with  tedious  stage  travel,"  he  said 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  109 

in  confidence  to  Col.  Hunter,  who  had  donated 
large  tracts  of  land  to  the  city  for  municipal 
purposes. 

"Keep  right  on  and  try,  try  again;  my 
Black  Jonstone  says, '  Col,  it  is  the  beginning  of 
something  yet  to  come. '  ' ' 

Alton  also  boasted  of  another  more  success- 
ful inventor,  whose  reaping  machine  won  a  for- 
tune for  him  later  on.  An  atmosphere  of  con- 
geniality surrounded  the  citizens  of  Alton  and 
they  greeted  Mr.  Love  joy  daily  with  much  hand- 
shaking and  many  words  of  good  cheer.  "The 
laws  of  Illinois  will  not  allow  persecution,  for 
we  remember  well  Hayti  and  Southhampton, 
whose  life  was  written  in  blood;  here  you  will 
find  no  hasty  judgment  but  very  much  candor. ' ' 

"Providing  one  does  not  carry  suspicious 
papers,"  hinted  one  citizen,  "or  write  too  much 
about  mob  law." 

"We  have,  as  do  all  new  towns,  a  band  of 
Jack- whet-stones,  Sir  Lucas  0 'Triggers,  and 
Jean  Pottage  and  Puddings,  who  lie  like  sleep- 
ing dogs;  still  they  do  no  harm  to  speak  of," 
warned  a  citizen. 


110  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

"We  have,  too,  a  winking  Mayor,  who  hesi- 
tates to  censure  the  young,  and  since  civic  au- 
thority is  lax,  why  should  Jack-whet-stone  care. 
Many  leading  Elders  have  scape-goat  sons  and 
beg  leniency  for  them,  whilst  they  are  supping 
with  the  devil  only  saying,  'The  spoonhandle  is 
long.'  " 

As  the  Editor  eyed  his  informer,  chewing 
constantly  on  a  bit  of  slippery  elm,  the  words 
of  an  old  script  came  into  his  mind : 

"How  many  there  are  who  never  think,  among 

the  thinking  few; 
And  fewer  still,  who  think  they  think,  but  only 

think  they  do." 

Childish  larks,  forsooth!  Does  not  Milton 
declare,  Childhood  shows  the  man?  If  nature 
makes  them  too  curious,  should  a  long  or  a  short 
halter  be  used  to  tether  them! 

Days  crept  on  and  weeks  fled,  showing  great 
laxity  of  law  in  the  harboring  of  many  danger- 
ous fugitives  in  Alton.  The  Editor  again  felt 
the  Spirit  of  God  move  within  him;  he  knew  he 
was  not  devoid  of  criticism  for  in  the  many 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  Ill 

seditious  meetings,  free  speech  bespoke  his  jeo- 
pardy. 

"The  basis  of  my  paper  is  religion,  I  feel 
important  issues  are  at  hand,"  cried  he,  "For 
Justification  awaits  all  who  believe  in  God's 
word;  full  many  a  sigh,  groan  or  tear  is  in  se- 
cret at  evils,  which  will  assuredly  expose  its 
cloven  foot  in  time." 

Farther  up  the  river,  the  town  of  Quincy  had 
in  its  "Lord's  Barn,"  what  was  known  as  the 
Yale  Band;  they  were  men  who  were  valiantly 
and  silently  working  for  education. 

' '  The  coming  generation  must  be  educated, ' ' 
said  these  men.  "Alton  is  striving  for  this 
cause  through  the  Press."  There  came  a  sud- 
den silence;  where  is  Mr.  Lovejoy's  Press? 
Why  is  it  silent? 

The  answer  came  back  as  a  shock :  "It  is  in 
the  Mississippi  River."  Jack- whet-stone  had 
only  cut  a  caper. 

The  persecution  of  this  prophet  had  begun 
again;  yet  throughout  this  ordeal,  Mr.  Lovejoy 
never  lost  faith  in  humanity. 

"It  shall  rise  again,  mightier  than  ever; 


112  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

though  ignoble  men  cannot  see  through  dense- 
ness,  the  light  is  still  there  and  burning 
brightly. ' ' 

In  the  Market  House  o'er  topping  the  hill, 
rustlers  used  nefarious  privileges  to  further 
their  cause  without  stint;  even  yeomen  stalked 
about  with  heavy  cowhide  boots  to  give  weight 
to  their  ill-chosen  words.  Idlers  chewed  cease- 
lessly on  some  bit  of  gossip ;  whilst  the  motley 
crowd  exhibited  an  unwonted  aptitude  in  realiz- 
ing that  a  menace  hung  over  Alton,  which  would 
soon  expose  many  inuendoes  besides  Indian 
raids  and  settlers'  quarrels.  The  Press  was 
gone,  but  it  would  rise  again. 

There  was  considerable  rivalry  between 
Alton  and  St.  Louis  at  this  time  in  regard  to 
municipal  growth.  Though  Alton  maintained 
its  lotus-eating  nature  owing  to  lax  law,  it 
readily  allowed  itself  to  become  overshadowed, 
by  gyrating  around  the  way  of  least  resistance ; 
thus  contradicting  a  cynicism,  that  all  men  wor- 
ship the  god — Success. 

The  town  was  very  cosmic  in  early  days, 
but  within  three-quarters  of  a  century  it  grew 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  113 

atomic  in  the  country's  history,  through  the 
great  tragedy  of  1837.  Its  individualism  be- 
came universal,  and  so  fulfilled  an  end,  which 
the  Fifth  Seal  now  declares  to  be  prophecy. 

In  seeking  to  establish  a  free  press,  Mr. 
Love  joy  sought  free  soil;  citizens  busied  them- 
selves in  rectifying  his  loss,  and  word  was  soon 
passed  around  the  market  house  to  that  effect. 

"Yes,  sir,  de  press  am  shure  cummin'  back, 
Massa  Woods, ' '  remarked  Hominy  Tom,  glibly, 
as  he  scooped  out  a  succulent  mass  of  hominy 
to  a  buyer;  "An'  I  say,  Massa,  could  you  guv 
de  cabin  a  thatch?  I'se  tried  grass,  which  the 
good  Lord  guvs  a  plenty,  but  it  is  too  tender." 

"There  is  plenty  and  to  spare  in  my  back 
yard,  Tom,"  answered  Mr.  Woods.  "And 
many  take  without  asking. ' ' 

"So  I  wuz  tole,  sir,  but  de  good  Lord  sez 
'Thou  shalt  not  steal,'  "  answered  the  black 
disciple  humbly;  "I'll  send  ol'  Gilbert  ober 
'fore  daylight,  fo  I's  born  tir'd  an'  I  sure  lik' 
eatin'  free  bread;  thank  ye  kindly,  sir.  Thar 
cums  ol '  Gilbert  up  de  hill  neow  wid  hisn  mule- 
hoss  hav'n  hisn  will,  like  de  white  people ;  Massa 


114  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Woods  is  sure  a  powerful  arguer  in  church, 
'specially  wen  de  spirit  is  on  him,  an'  he  sure 
do  hit  hard  ober  de  head  wid  his  cane,  wen  de 
sinners  won't  cum  ter  tha  mournin'  bench;  I's 
seed  all  dese.  But  he's  sure  a  fine  gemman  wid 
hisn  flappin'  coat  a  Sunday  an'  his  paint  bucket 
a  week  days;  dat  is  wot  I  call  wurkin'  fur  de 
Lord;  an'  wen  he  wears  hisn  top  boots,  he  looks 
lik'  Henry  Clay,  for  they  squeek  an'  squeek; 
an' — wot's  dat  yo  nolle rin'  'bout,  01'  Gilbert, 
down  thar;  luk  at  dat  molasses  triklin'  alon'  yo' 
path;  doan  let  dat  mule-hoss  hav'  hisn  will,  I 
'clare. ' ' 

The  negro,  01'  Gilbert,  was  a  well-known 
character  around  Alton,  for  nature  had  cut  him 
on  the  bias,  putting  his  large  feet  across  sides 
and  bowing  his  legs  so  that  many  a  barrel  rolled 
between  them,  causing  his  ol'  mule-hoss  to  turn 
around  for  enlightenment,  to  ^behold  his  load 
gone  elsewhere  down  the  hill;  whereupon  the 
animal  placidly  went  on  "hevin'  hisn  will," 
which  was  mostly  over  toward  the  watering 
trough  in  the  public  square. 

"He  interrupt 'd  business  by  sich  didoes," 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  115 


exclaimed  01'  Gilbert,  wrinkling  up  his  narrow 
forehead  to  the  summit  of  his  brow. 


OLD  GILBERT. 
From  the  Original. 


116  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

With  perplexed  air,  01'  Gilbert  would  then 
motion  and  wait  for  his  friend  Tom  to  come  to 
his  rescue  in  an  act  of  brotherly  love  such  as 
linked  fast  the  friendship  between  the  two  by 
thus  helping  one  another;  in  compliment  to  his 
good  friend,  01'  Gilbert  would  often  declare: 
"No  one  ken  lie  lik'  Hominy  Tom,  ef  I  do  say 
it." 

Many  people  went  daily  to  the  Market  House 
for  their  supply  of  herbs  to  brew  some  remedy, 
and  hither  a  stiff-necked  judge  hied  one  day  for 
lavendar  and  horsemint,  perchance  to  listen  to 
a  bit  of  gossip  prevalent  of  the  times. 

"What  stick  o'  herb,  Judge?"  inquired  the 
market  man. 

"Strengthen  it  well  with  horsemint,  and  add 
a  bit  of  wormwood  for  bitterness,"  said  the 
Judge,  noticing  with  darkened  brow  the  famil- 
iarity of  hucksters  and  negroes  about  him. 
"Hum!  The  color  line  should  be  drawn;  it  is 
abominable,  outrageous.  How  it  will  all  end, 
God  alone  knows;  surely  the  press  is  not  a 
melting  pot,  it  is  a  scourge." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  117 

He  turned  disgustedly  away  with  a  mnch- 
be-purpled  countenance. 

Some  one  heard  his  words  however,  and 
wafted  them  well  about,  with  the  result  that  an 
invitation  was  sent  the  Judge  to  hear  Mr.  Love- 
joy's  sermon  the  following  Sunday,  mentioning 
that  a  seat  would  be  reserved  for  him  so  that 
his  deaf  ears  could  hear  the  Truth. 

"The  truth,"  scoffed  the  Judge  craning  his 
neck  a  bit  higher.  "I  already  know  the  truth 
about  the  negro  question,  'They  will  free  their 
kind';  I  will  not  be  a  supporter  of  Mr.  Lovejoy, 
I  will  let  Mr.  Gilman  and  Deacon  Long  advocate 
his  cause  if  they  want.  And  you,  Lowe  and 
Cromwell,  are  still  little  pitchers  with  big  ears ; 
you  can  go  in  my  place,"  as  he  turned  to  two 
small  boys  near  by. 

"But  the  meal  must  be  sifted  at  Lathy 's 
mill  sir  for  th'  people  even  on  Sunday;  an', 
sir,  I  be  hearin'  th'  Piasa  Bird  screech  so  loud 
at  night,  I  trembles  to  go  home  late,"  spoko 
little  Cromwell  shuddering. 

"Tut,  tut,  don't  believe  in  myths;  it's  the 
living  to  be  afraid  of. ' '  And  report  went  around 


118 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.. 


later  that  the  Judge 's  neck  had  actually  topped 
over  his  collar  with  indignation,  as  he  finished 
his  remarks : 


JOSEPH  CROMWELL. 

Xenia,  Ohio. 
Last  Survivor  of  the  Press. 


' 1 1  thank  the  Lord  that  I  am  not  too  old  to 
see  the  disgrace  looming  before  the  white  race ; 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.  119 

equality  will  disgrace  America;  the  press  is 
running  a  gamut  with  Satan  and  Lucifer,  not 
caring  which  may  be  the  sinner.  The  mullets 
called  white  trash,  cannot  realize  that  they  can 
never  become  trout.  My  blood  runs  thick  at  the 
thought,  I'll  send  for  th'  Leech  to  do  some  blood 
letting,  though  I'd  as  soon  have  th'  butcher,  for 
he  swears  less.  Let  the  pillars  of  the  church 
salve  their  own  way  with  politics. ' ' 


120  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

4 uHe  follows  the  law  of  his  kind" — Wordsworth 

Another  landmark  of  Alton  (and  standing 
today  in  the  original  forking  road)  was  called 
the  Buck  Inn,  marked  o'er  its  door-way  by 
antler  horns,  trophy  of  the  game  thereabouts. 

The  Buck  Inn  was  a  long,  low  building  built 
of  seasoned  oak  timbers  well  plastered  over,  and 
strongly  held  down  by  iron  plates.  The  Inn 
had  space  of  country  all  around  it,  thus  giving 
the  landlord  ample  time  to  see  his  daily  guests 
coming  from  afar  off.  He  was  a  friendly  host 
when  in  genial  mood,  and  he  beguiled  his  guests 
into  tarrying  long  with  him ;  when  purpose  suit- 
ed, his  laugh  was  long  and  loud,  but  when  things 
went  criss-cross,  his  guests  noted  the  sudden 
change  with  consternation,  for  it  always  carried 
much  freight. 

Inside  the  Inn  a  log  fire,  ruddy  with  glow, 
cast  its  spell  over  many  worshipers  that  loved 
gossip  and  guffaw ;  even  the  dogs  found  a  warm 
place  there,  though  mine  host  declared  he'd 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  121 

make  the  owners  pay  for  every  flea  his  dog 
carried. 

Mine  host  was  ably  assisted  by  a  habitee 
called  "Bluff,"  who  often  unraveled  the  sleeve 
of  care  for  loafers  to  knit  up  again  when  time 
hung  heavy  and  the  host  was  wearied  from  too 
much  fray.  "Bluff"  was  a  middle-man  and 
had  as  a  business,  a  stock  trade  of  both  humans 
and  animals. 

His  bulky  form  was  well  known  all  over  the 
country,  he  very  often  sought  relief  of  con- 
science by  quarrelling  with  squatters,  who  hov- 
ered near  the  underground  railroads,  hoping  to 
foster  some  runaway  slave  into  thinking  they 
were  free  when  among  their  clan. 

Large  rewards  were  a  big  inducement  to 
the  squatters  who  lived  without  actual  labor, 
and  though  not  one  of  them,  "Bluff"  was  very 
often  among  them,  for  personal  reasons; 
namely,  to  let  them  do  the  actual  stealing,  while 
he  procured  them  leniency.  He  was  therefore 
an  entertaining  guest  at  the  Buck  Inn,  for  he 
brought  much  news. 


122  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

"Keep  the  guests  in  humor,  Bluff,  while  I 
nap,"  whispered  mine  host,  "I  have  a  carouse 
on  hand  tonight.  Keep  them  in  cheer  and  from 
too  much  fray." 

His  aid-de-camp  nodded  good  naturedly,  and 
blinked  knowingly.  "Tother  day,"  said  Bluff, 
emiting  a  stream  of  tobacco  in  the  direction  of 
a  little  man  who  dozed  in  a  warm  corner  by  the 
fire.  "Tother  day  I  saw  a  wolf  skulking  in  th' 
shadows. ' ' 

"Eh!  Eh!"  squeaked  the  little  man,  much 
to  tlio  annoyance  of  the  loafers  around  the  fire. 
"Wall,  I  didn't  say  whar  yet,  but  it  war  in  th' 
vicinity  o'  Coup's  Creek  or  it  mought  be  God- 
frey's Farm,  seein'  it  war  skulkin'  fur  hogs  or 
sheep,  or  young  heifers;  it  didn't  even  stop  to 
read  th'  sign  'Beware  0'  Dogs,'  but  turned 
tail  and  run.  Yes-siree,  run  my  way;  it  sur- 
prised me  so  I  missed  fire,  by  gosh." 

"Wolves  ar'  noxious  critters,  especially  if 
yo  miss  fire,  Bluff, ' '  scoffed  the  little  man  rous- 
ing up  again  from  his  apparent  slumber. 

".An'  pesky  at  night,  Pee-wee.  I  missed  a 
handsome  brush,  at  that." 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.  123 

•    * '  Likewise, ' '  began  the  little  man  in  tantaliz- 
ing voice;  "Likewise,  other  game  ez  yo  say." 
Bluff  glanced  contemptuously  at  the  atom  of 
humanity.    ' '  You  'low  ez  I  never  seed  it ;  an '  I 
'low   ez   no   low-Jived   critter   frum   Southern 
Illinois   ken   insult   me,"   he   glared   savagely 
at  his  assailer  and  planted  his  cow-hide  boots 
heavily  on  the  floor,  tightening  up  his  leathern 
belt.     His  action  indicated  anger,  whereupon 
the  little  man  began  to  whimper. 

"I  never  sed  nuthin'  Bluff.  I'm  yer  frien." 
Escape  was  uncertain,  so  like  all  cowards, 
the  little  man  played  for  sympathy,  for  he  had 
felt  Bluff's  trouncing  once  before.  He,  there- 
fore, began  to  call  loudly  on  the  landlord  for 
help.  Mine  host  ran  hurriedly  from  an  inner 
room,  and  promptly  dragged  the  little  man  to 
an  open  casement,  where  fresh  air  soon  dried 
his  crocodile  tears.  The  landlord  then  returned 
to  Bluff,  saying:  "Come,  come,  Bluff,  hev  a  care 
these  days,  give  th'  poor  squatter  a  chance  ter 
get  a  dram  o'  brew,  an'  besides  he  might  carry 
your  lash  down  th'  Plank  Eoad.  I  know  th'  toll 
hez  bin  high  lately,  'an  it  affects  your  temper 


124  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

mightily;  but  I  hear  your  hogs  ar  prime  ter 
litter;  kidnapin'  growin'  slim,  an'  th'  under- 
ground railway  at  Wood  River  is  spilin'  trade, 
Mose  Twist  tells  me." 

At  his  name  a  low-browed  individual  looked 
up  quickly  from  his  corner  and  spoke  gruffly, 
"TV  free  paper  fur  th'  blacks  hez  ruined  trade 
an*  cheated  me  out'n  an  honest  livin'.  There's 
Singleton  Vaugh  advertising  a  reward  o'  $250 
in  the  Spectator  fur  some  worthless  nigger,  ez 
aint  worth  his  salt.  I  hev  hunted  high  an'  low 
fur  th'  rascal;  scoured  th'  country  ez  far  ez 
Elsah,  whar  th'  path  winds  roun'  an'  roun' 
like  a  coilin'  snake,  an'  nary  a  nigger;  th'  black 
rogue  is  under  earth  somewhar." 

His  words  were  freighted  with  profanity, 
familiar  to  his  listener's  ears,  while  his  evil 
face  flamed  fiercely. 

"Let  th'  venom  stay  a  bit  in  your  fangs, 
Mose;  til  yo',  of  all  men,  will  scent  th'  black 
rogue. ' ' 

"I'll  git  it  out'n  my  system  w'en  I  go  to 
Happy  Hollow  among  them  tobacco  worms  ez 
infect  thet  place  o'  refuge.  They  are  swarmin' 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  125 

wid  niggars  an'  thar  squeakin'  wagons  ken  be 
heard  miles  away ;  too  lazy  ter  seek  honest  wuk. 
Thar  hosses  wear  platted  husk  collars  or  else 
pant-legs  filled  wid  stubble  for  yokes;  th'  only 
time  they  ar'  active  is  w'en  they  ar  shakin'  wid 
ague. ' ' 

"We'uns  must  preserve  th'  Union,"  added 
the  affable  landlord.  The  opportunity  being 
thus  afforded,  many  mouths  gave  individual 
points  of  view  on  the  politics  of  the  day. 

Arguments  began  to  wax  louder  and  louder, 
when  suddenly  the  sound  of  horse 's  hoofs  were 
heard  without;  the  door  was  flung  violently 
open  and  an  exhausted  rider  stumbled  inside. 

"Brew  and  meat,"  he  cried. 

Without  questioning  him,  mine  host  has- 
tened to  do  his  bidding. 

When  the  traveler  had  eaten  his  fill,  he  re- 
lated a  story  that  thrilled  all  with  horror : 

"Another  Indian  massacre  at  Prairie  Du 
Chene." 

"The  Indian  will  always  be  a  menace  to  the 
American  conscience!  Their  god  is  a  savage 
god  and  bids  them  fall  back  on  their  hatchet 


126  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

rather  than  become  a  worm.  Congress  some 
day  will  realize  that  their  birthright  was  bought 
too  cheaply.  It  didn't  take  General  Jackson 
long  to  settle  the  Seminoles,  though  they  hail 
him  as  a  wampum  today;  but,"  added  the  scout, 
' '  I  must  away  to  warn  settlers  that  the  Indians 
are  on  their  raid  and  are  traveling  fast." 

After  the  scout  had  gone  his  way,  the  loung- 
ers once  more  gathered  around  the  warm  fire 
toasting  their  shanks  in  apparent  good  fellow- 
ship and  discussing  the  American  house  of 
Stuarts,  the  Adams  family,  and  how  John  Ran- 
dolph longed  to  twist  a  barb  into  the  vitals  of 
the  Yanks. 

' '  I  'd  like  ter  ax, ' '  spoke  the  very  mild  voice 
of  a  newcomer  named  Joab,  "Wot  th'  opinion 
o'  th'  fellers  is,  'bout  th'  trouble  o'  today?  Will 
th'  South  divide  an'  break  rank  fur  Henry 
Clay?" 

"Thets  ez  crafty  a  question  ez  I  ever  hear 
from  a  man  ez  reads  th'  Bible  nightly;  th'  Pres- 
ident's chair  is  th'  king's  chair,  come  day  go 
day,  but  God  guv's  Sunday  ter  th'  righteous 
like  ye  Joab. ' ' 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.  127 

"But,  sir,  sir;  I  be  waitin'  ye  response." 

"Ten'  ter  your  conversions,  Joab,"  an- 
swered the  landlord  roughly,  seeing  his  guest 
was  stepping  upon  dangerous  ground.  "I  say 
with  th'  Yanks  I  do  an  kneow." 

Attention  again  being  centered  on  "Pee- 
wee,"  the  landlord  dragged  him  to  the  open 
casement,  where  a  passing  leech  cupped  the 
epileptic  generously,  and  with  round  oaths  or- 
dered him  to  seek  his  home  in  the  bottoms, 
"where  you  have  not  been  this  moon."  Wiping 
his  lancet  upon  the  top  of  his  leather  boot,  the 
Leech  prepared  to  take  a  seat  by  the  warm 
fire,  when  a  voice  floated  in  through  the  still 
open  casement,  "This  is  an  unbaptised  country 
and  needs  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
woe  is  coming.  Woe !  Woe ! ' ' 

Without  turning  to  look,  the  Leech  cried 
out  derisively:  "Hullo,  Coventer,  it's  been  full 
ten  year  since  I  have  heard  your  woeful  voice. 
But  I  know  Jim  Carrol  well,  and  he  knows  the 
Leech  that  opens  veins  to  let  bad  blood  out." 

"May  the  Good  Lord  crucify  the  scoundrels 


128  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

thet  make  th'  laws  o'  this  land,"  groaned  the 
Coventer,  shaking  a  long,  lean  finger  at  the 
Leech. 

'  *  Amen !  Amen ! ' '  answered  he.  "  Laws  were 
made  for  such  as  thee,  Coventer,  who  pointedly 
refuse  to  work  the  roads  to  metropolize  towns. 
You  refuse  to  serve  any  law;  away  with  your 
lantern  visage!"  and  stalking  to  the  window, 
the  Leech  pushed  that  individual  away  and 
locked  the  casement,  swearing  lustily  the  while. 

Returning  to  his  seat,  the  Leech  took  up  the 
thread  of  conversation:  ''Fellows,  when  Shad- 
roch  Bond  was  first  Governor  of  Illinois  his 
first  message  to  the  legislature  was  a  fat  pud- 
ding full  of  plums;  but  he  used  great  sense  in 
mixing  it;  for  it  was  weighed  to  the  last  ounce 
and  even  predigested,  so  as  to  assimilate  it  with 
the  food  of  Illinois.  His  body  and  brains  were 
equally  balanced." 

"An'  I  rekellect,"  mused  another  habitee  of 
Buck  Inn,  "I  wuz  wurkin'  fur  Governor  Bond 
in  1818,  when  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
called  by  name  Wm.  Foster,  was  known  as  the 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.  129 

most  accomplished  rascal  that  ever  was  born. 
He,  though,  had  winsome  ways;  he  was  clever, 
but  he  kept  people  guessin'  whether  or  not  he 
meant  for  certain;  you  rekellect  him,  Mose 
Twist?"  turning  to  where  the  kidnaper  sat 
chewing  the  ends  of  his  beard. 

"An'  I  dew,  I  dew,"  nodded  that  party; 
"He  wuz  ez  despotic  a  man  ez  I  ever  seen  an'  a 
sad  despoiler,  but  ez  good  a  soul  ez  ever 
whipped  a  nigger  into  submission;  he  made  a 
law  thet  th'  lash  should  be  laid  on  every  nigger 
found  ten  miles  away  frum  home.  Thirty-five 
lashes  was  the  perscription;  thirty-five  lashes; 
en  I  dew  say  ez  many  a  master  furgot  hisn  pass, 
jess  ter  hev  his  nigger  whipped  an'  keep  him  a 
servant.  Yep,  Mr.  Foster  wuz  a  very  conscien- 
tious gentleman." 

Mose  began  to  twirl  his  thumbs  rapidly  and 
inhale  great  thumbfuls  of  snuff,  which  caused 
him  to  sneeze  several  times,  before  he  felt  com- 
placent enough  to  remark:  "I  hev  dun  wot  I 
could  to  stop  runaway  slaves  frum  comin'  inter 
Illinois. ' ' 


130  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

"You  are  certainly  the  best  human  blood- 
hound I  ever  saw,"  cried  the  Leech,  in  great 
good  humor. 

"Aint  it  th'  truth,  aint  it  th'  truth,"  panted 
the  rogue,  swelling  out  his  waist-coat  so  liber- 
ally that  the  plaids  seemed  to  vent  the  wearers 
pomposity.  Every  one  knew  that  Mose  Twist 
was  a  very  cruel  man. 

"Friends,"  said  Mose,  warming  up  to  his 
subject,  "th'  salt  mines  must  be  wurk'd  an'  we 
must  hev  slaves  ter  wurk  'em.  I  am  not  eddi- 
cated  lik'  Editor  Lovejoy;  but  I  read  th'  Ob- 
server an'  it  sez  thet  several  hundred  slaves  in 
Illinois  ar'  in  absolute  bondage;  neow  who  ken 
hold  them  niggers  ter  wurk,  but  Mose  Twist. 
I  ken  keep  th'  South  at  your  door,  gemmen, 
wot's  th'  use  o'  indenturin'  slaves,  an  who  is  ter 
blame  because  Phillip  Renault  began  th'  mining 
industry  in  this  state.  The  blasted  English 
decried  them  niggers,  an'  brought  th'  French- 
men here;  neow  I  knows,  th'  nigger  is  happy 
enuff,  when  well  fed." 

His  listeners  looked  wise,  as  the  slave  driv- 
er's growl  finally  ceased,  and  a  suave  voice  from 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  131 

the  rear  indicated  that  a  newcomer  had  ar- 
rived. 

"Th*  Kid  Glove  Leech,"  was  the  whisper 
passed  around. 

"Mose  Twist,  I  heard  your  last  words,  and 
'no  one  disagrees  with  you  more  than  I;  know- 
ing that  the  code  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky  al- 
lows neither  knowledge  nor  yet  principle  to  its 
slaves,  I  ask,  can  a  human  being  ever  be  happy 
without  such  privileges  I  No!  Can  a  human 
being  ever  be  happy,  when  bought  and  sold  by 
a  master?  Will  not  his  mental  balance  tip  to 
one  side!  He  is  not  devoted  to  any  principle, 
nor  can  he  ever  know  intellectual  value;  in 
these  points,  the  slave  loses.  The  master 
gains. ' ' 

More  speech  was  interrupted  by  a  volley  of 
profanity  that  fell  from  the  lips  of  his  brother 
in  science,  who  exclaimed:  "My  spleen  is  o'er 
run  with  the  cry  of  *  Freedom ' ;  I  declare  though 
Illinois  cannot  have  slavery,  it  can  privilege 
itself  to  arrange  a  system  of  perpetuation,  that 
will  call  an  indentured  slave  a  chattel.  I  am 
like  old  John  Grammer  of  Union  County,  'Haint 


132  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

I  as  much  right  to  my  nigger  as  any  French- 
man! I  am  with  the  great  majority." 

So  apparent  was  this  Leech's  indignation 
that  the  loungers  looked  for  more  passing  of 
words,  knowing  of  the  great  animosity  existing 
between  the  two  Leeches;  but,  the  kid  gloved 
Leech  only  rose  and  walked  quietly  away,  going 
into  an  outer  room,  where  he  passed  outside. 

For  a  moment  he  listened  intently;  a  faint 
groan  was  heard  in  a  coal  shed  at  the  other  end 
of  the  lot;  going  quietly  toward  this  point,  the 
Leech  discovered  a  runaway  negro,  shivering 
with  cold  and  full  of  fear.  "Ah!  if  Mose  Twist 
only  knew  the  prey  was  here,  he  'd  have  the  $250 
reward  in  his  pocket  ere  night.  Dogs  bask  in 
the  fire's  warmth,  but  the  poor  slave  expects 
nothing,  dares  nothing;  he  lives  without  hope." 

A  tear  fell  from  the  eye  of  the  Kid-gloved 
Leech  upon  the  woolly  head,  but  it  seemed  to 
benedict  the  downtrodden  slave,  for  intuitively 
he  felt  this  kindly  gentleman  was  his  savior. 

Long  after  the  event  had  passed,  the 
Leech's  only  child  asked:  "What  is  an  inden- 
tured slave." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  133 

'  *  Child, ' '  said  lie  gravely,  thinking  of  much 
that  he  alone  knew  of  human  lives.  ' '  An  inden- 
tured slave  is  a  befooled  negro." 


134  THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

"Bloody  and  deceitful  men  shall  not  live  out 
half  their  lives" — Psalms. 

After  its  re-establishment,  the  Observer's 
circulation  grew  very  large.  It  aroused  people 
into  thinking  that  the  constitution  should  not 
break  its  covenant  made  with  God,  whereby  it 
teaches  and  inculcates  upon  the  pure  American, 
ideals  of  good  citizenship  regardless  of  race 
or  color. 

While  prohibiting  slavery  in  its  territories, 
this  paper  knew  that  Congress  licensed  its  peo- 
ple to  sanction  it  by  a  majority  vote. 

In  his  speech  of  1829  Daniel  Webster  truth- 
fully said  that  religious  feeling  was  sadly 
thwarted;  nevertheless,  he  was  inclined  to  veto 
the  annexation  of  Texas. 

Friends  of  both  Webster  and  Clay  smiled 
broadly  at  their  crossed  swords,  and  this  news 
was  found  most  toothsome  by  the  Philan- 
thropist, Liberator  and  Observer,  who  pepper- 
ed it  well  with  a  calamity  howl. 

Whirled  into  becoming  a  wedge  between  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  135 

North  and  South  by  20,000  societies,  Mr.  Love- 
joy  began  to  display  his  usual  astuteness  by 
declaring:  "In  God  will  I  put  my  trust;  my 
conscience  is  as  clear  as  crystal.  I  will  not 
retract  one  word,  I  will  follow  the  conscience 
of  progress,  feeling  that  God  ever  sends  forth 
mercy  and  truth,  like  unto  heaven  and  clouds." 

Truth  declares  the  corruption  of  man  is  self- 
preservation  ;  it  is  at  such  times  that  animosity 
ceases  its  concealment  and  openly  threatens  vio- 
lation. 

"Mr.  Love  joy,  you  are  called  an  agitator 
that  sooner  or  later  will  force  a  revolution.  The 
times  teem  with  violence  and  strife.  Why  seek 
to  wander  in  a  wilderness?" 

To  his  brother  in  cloth,  Mr.  Lovejoy  made 
his  usual  consistent  reply:  "Conviction  rests 
falsely  upon  me;  revolutions  are  not  of  mush- 
room growth,  and  the  people  must  realize  that 
the  South  governs  the  North  by  her  white  race, 
not  by  her  black.  They  know  their  swamps  are  a 
standing  menace,  for  no  white  man  will  work 
them;  they  rightly  call  them  the  fangs  of  the 
rattler." 


136  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Eaves-droppers  soon  carried  these  words 
biasly  and  caused  the  rumor  to  percolate  into 
insinuating  and  evil  thoughts,  whereas,  the  pur- 
port was  meant  to  be  quite  different. 

North  Carolina  had  ever  been  a  willful 
daughter;  her  soil  was  cultivated  by  ignorant 
and  dangerous  negroes,  whose  density  was  just 
obtuse  enough  to  suit  their  obstreperous  mas- 
ters, whom  they  blindly  obeyed,  and  around 
whom  they  revolved  like  satellites.  Living  only 
in  the  present,  the  future  meant  nothing  to 
them.  How  well  did  Ben  Lundy  write:  "that 
slavery  in  the  South  affected  the  wives,  the 
children,  the  hearth-stone;  while  in  the  North 
it  was  known  by  the  name  of  Sentiment,  which 
sandwiched  between  Right  and  Expediency, 
might  well  be  termed  Evasiveness." 

These  remarks  caused  the  North  to  grow 
most  contemptuous.  "Is  the  calamity  of  slav- 
ery a  crime?  Why  not  imitate  England,  who 
shares  its  wealth  with  labor  and  gives  a  good 
per  cent  for  its  upkeep?" 

Webster,  Clay,  Calhoun,  Benton  and  Jack- 
son all  kept  their  finger  upon  the  pulse  of  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  137 

country,  by  urging  the  people  to  dig  around 
the  mountain. 

Mr.  Lovejoy  was  now  in  a  labyrinth  whence 
there  was  no  return.  He  was  not  seeking  an 
Avalon  he  so  told  his  would-be  advisors,  who 
called  his  attention  to  the  avalanche  of  threats 
that  impeded  his  progress.  Duties  very  often 
took  him  into  the  inland  country,  where  many 
people  were  reached  only  by  word  of  mouth, 
through  this  extraordinary  man  who  had  the 
ability  to  convince  without  persuasion  what 
might  be  called  the  body  politic.  He  fully  real- 
ized that  a  mind  uninformed  often  misconstrues 
by  antonym. 

Such  was  the  difficulty  which  the  Editor 
sought  to  overcome  by  personal  contact.  One 
night,  returning  home  after  midnight  through 
a  dense  woods,  the  footpath  leading  to  the  high- 
way suddenly  became  obstructed.  In  righting 
himself,  Mr.  Lovejoy  became  suddenly  aware  of 
discordant  voices  jeering  at  him;  he  felt  himself 
seized  by  unfriendly  arms  and  bound  tightly 
with  a  rope.  The  words  "Kitchener,"  "Run 
out  of  Georgia,"  "Phillips,"  "Garrison," 


138  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

"Tar  and  feathers,"  added  greatly  to  the  an- 
noyance of  his  capture. 

He  knew  resistance  was  useless,  so  he  re- 
mained silent,  knowing  it  would  soon  be  time  for 
the  stage  to  roll  down  the  highway.  The  situa- 
tion was  trying,  not  to  say  painful,  unless  succor 
came  soon. 

"Serve  him  like  the  Salem  witches,  an'  see 
if  his  covenant  wid  death  and  agreement  wid 
hell  will  save  him.  We  are  the  Hurrah  Boys, 
an'  we  want  ter  save  th'  stars  and  stripes.  We 
won't  let  you-uns  destroy  th'  Union.  We  are 
the  Invincible s. " 

Using  fist  and  cudgels  vigorously  on  their 
victim,  they  were  suddenly  stopped  in  their 
nefarious  work  by  a  rider  dashing  in  among 
them  and  crying: 

"Shame  on  every  mother's  son  of  you! 
Mississippi,  Virginia  and  Tennessee !  Brave  in- 
deed, when  drunk,  but  fearful  when  sober. ' ' 

"How  dare  you  interrupt  us,  Leech,"  cried 
a  voice  that  caused  the  rider  to  whirl  suddenly 
around.  "Ha!  Dr.  John,  fie  with  you  among 
such  rowdies.  Tomorrow  you'll  disgrace  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  139 

knife,  much  less  your  family.  Paine  Court,  in- 
deed, huh!" 

"Sail  we  guv  de  prisonaire  up,  friens;  he 
ez  one  Bigot;  he  insults  ze  good  Catholics;  he 
blasphemes  ze  Huguenots;  he  ez  not  a  free 
thinker  like  good  Leech." 

*  *  Frenchie,  hide  your  bloated  countenance  in 
yon  shadow ;  back  I  say  and  damn  the  church,  it 
causes  much  trouble.  Untie  this  man,  or  I'll 
lash  every  man  of  you  into  submission." 

Cowed  to  a  man,  they  obeyed  the  rider,  who 
rewarded  them  by  swearing  at  them  lustily. 
"Come,"  said  he  to  Mr.  Lovejoy.  "I  will  as- 
sist you  to  the  highway  and  there  you  can  await 
the  Stage  with  the  Circuit  Court ;  they  were  de- 
layed by  the  recent  freshets  into  a  late  hour, 
but  you  are  safe  now,"  as  the  highway  was 
reached;  "I  do  not  admire  your  cause,  Mr.  Love- 
joy.  In  your  Bible  you  will  find  allusions  made 
to  the  cattle  and  other  beasts  of  the  field,  which 
fact  decides  the  South  into  holding  on  to  all  it 
has  lawfully  gotten.  If  slavery  is  a  sin,  then  the 
strength  of  sin  is  the  law,  which  is  ever  a  strong 
open  court  for  the  first  and  last  Adam.  May 


140  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Satan  take  advantage  of  those  who  would  in- 
struct the  ignorant  into  rebellion. ' ' 

"  Would  you  blind  the  mind  of  mortal  man 
because  plain  speech  enlightens  him?  Who 
would  then  hold  fast  to  intellect?"  asked  Mr. 
Love  joy  softly,  knowing  that  the  Leech's  fiery 
nature  knew  no  bounds  when  riled,  but  was  cap- 
able of  being  reasoned  with,  through  logic." 

"It's  little  use  to  mollify  damnation  with 
phraseology;  it  is  better  to  warn  you  that  mob 
fury  will  use  you  as  an  instrument.  But  here 
comes  the  Stage;  keep  silent  on  this  night." 

"The  Lord  be  with  you  and  bless  you," 
whispered  Mr.  Lovejoy,  feeling  his  strength  re- 
turning. 

"Tut!  Blessings  mean  nothing  to  me,"  an- 
swered the  Leech  riding  away.  "I  am  a  free 
thinker  and  I  damn  the  churches,  but  I  believe 
in  trial;  tomorrow  every  mother's  son  will  seek 
me.  Believe  me,  the  grog  shops  are  respon- 
sible for  this  night's  fracas." 

As  he  awaited  the  coming  of  the  Stage,  Mr. 
Lovejoy  gave  earnest  thanks  that  he  was  still 
in  flesh  to  carry  on  his  righteous  labor.  If 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  141 

Jack-whet-stones  and  the  Hurrah  Boys  could 
only  have  look  into  the  future,  would  they  have 
hesitated? 

As  the  stage  coach  flashed  its  yellow  light 
upon  the  Editor,  many  hands  reached  out  and 
drew  him  within  the  coach,  where  he  related  his 
grievous  adventure :  ' '  Truth  and  order  is  cry- 
ing out  at  every  door,  but  even  though  I  suffer 
abuse,  my  work  must  go  on. ' ' 

"Even  though,  like  Paracelsus,  your  work 
quickens  with  your  death?"  inquired  a  voice 
from  the  driver's  high  seat. 

"Even  so,  Abe  Lincoln,"  responded  the 
Editor. 

The  Stage  had  proceeded  painfully  along 
with  plenty  of  yellow  clay  clogging  its  progress, 
when  the  wheels  suddenly  ceased  turning.  The 
dignitaries  of  the  State  cheerfully  jumped  out 
and  helped  to  lift  the  heavy  Stage  from  its  rut 
with  the  long  propellers. 

Abe  Lincoln  seemed  to  be  the  strength  of 
the  party  and  with  droll  humor  plied  and  pulled, 
until  the  Stage  was  free  from  adherence. 

"Is  it  to  work  and  suffer  in  order  to  live, 


142  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

or  is  it  to  live  in  order  to  suffer  and  work," 
cried  he ; 1 1  there  are  times  when  life  seems  a  joke, 
for  the  unexpected  is  ever  happening,  such  as 
Coup's  Creek  swamping  the  august  court  and 
delaying  action  on  important  matters.  This 
tramp  through  slush  and  mire  ought  to  make 
better  laws  for  traffic  in  Illinois,"  remarked 
Abe  to  the  driver,  as  he  dangled  his  long  legs 
over  the  side  of  the  coach. 

"Wot  ye  said  ez  true,  Abe,"  answered  Old 
George,  the  driver ;  ' '  I  hev  druv  this  stage  nigh 
twenty  odd  years  without  accident,  lettin'  ruts 
alone;  an'  I  must  say  the  gentry  ar'  fine  men 
to  'sociate  writh.  Gid-up,  Dobbin !  Ter  th' left, 
kant  yer  see  th'  creek  thet  side;  run  th'  pro- 
peller out  thet  way,  Abe.  Coup's  Creek  drib- 
bles all  th'  way  down  ter  Alton  and  w'en  th' 
railroad  is  built,  th'  town  will  hev  ter  harness 
Piasa  Creek  into  a  tunnel,  unless  th'  city  stays 
ter  th'  East  o'  Hunter's  Addition." 

"Bight  you  are,  George;  these  twenty  odd 
years  are  not  for  naught." 

"Th'  poor  man  helps  th'  great,"  answered 
George,  pertly. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  143 


LINCOLN  AT  18 


144  THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 

"And  the  great  man  helps  the  poor,  too, 
George,  for  after  all,  it  is  all  for  State,  and 
not  for  party,  is  not  that  so,  Mr.  Lovejoy  f" 
cried  Abe  Lincoln,  leaning  his  length  of  body 
far  over  the  side  of  the  coach  and  addressing 
those  within. 

Instead  of  Mr.  Lovejoy  answering,  another 
voice  responded : 

"  Nature  furnishes  freshets  to  inspire  man 
into  inventing  ways  and  means  for  navigation ; 
it  might  even  be  called  a  '  coup  de  grace, '  which 
must  needs  be  civilized  within  bounds  of  system- 
ization,  eh,  Abe?" 

"Even  the  rubbish  barrel  is  not  to  be  de- 
spised, since  Blackstone's  Commentaries  once 
honored  it.  But  the  Sangamon  channel  must  be 
straightened,  sir,  to  do  away  with  overflow," 
replied  Abe,  laughingly. 

"You  stick  to  your  point  I  see,  Abe,  until 
gained,"  laughed  Mr.  Dubois.  "Keep  on  lis- 
tening to  the  speeches  of  Dan'l  Webster,  who 
would  give  fit  food  to  digest,  and  to  Calhoun, 
who  deceitfully  tells  us  that  his  religious  train- 
ing forbids  this  or  that.  How  can  Calhoun  ex- 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.  146 

pect  a  tiger  from  the  jungle  to  become  a  domes- 
ticated cat  or  a  grey  wolf  a  lap  dog.  Am  I  doing 
him  an  injustice,  knowing  he  was  planted  under 
the  paternal  tree  of  John  Randolph  and  is  en- 
deavoring to  avoid  a  panic?" 

*  *  The  court  would  sleep, ' '  reminded  George, 
reigning  his  team  into  a  gentle  trot. 

4 'Aye!  Aye!"  replied  Abe,  righting  his  long 
body  with  surprising  agility  into  an  upright 
position,  thereby  showing  athletic  prowess. 

"An'  ere  the  mouse  fell  from  the  ceiling  the 
cat  cried  'Allah!  Allah!'  "  mused  he  suggest- 
ively. 

"When  you  are  boosted  into  the  legislature, 
Abe,  don't  let  the  whip  hang  too  high,"  chuckled 
Old  George,  cracking  his  whip  by  way  of  ex- 
pression. 

"I  am  studying  life  itself,  while  I  work  in 
the  fields  reaping  and  sowing." 

"An'  none  can  do  it  better'n  you,  Abe; 
wrestlin'  an'  runnin'  is  great  sport,  ain't  it, 
eh?" 

"Work  is  the  greatest  problem  of  life;  to 
some  it  is  an  unknown  quantity. ' ' 


146  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

"The  court  is  still  sleeping,"  came  a  voice 
from  the  inner  coach.  "Hold  a  bit,  George;  I 
wish  to  come  up  between  you  two,"  and  Mr. 
Love  joy,  still  stiff  and  sore  from  his  recent  ex- 
perience, was  soon  comfortably  seated  between 
the  two.  "They  will  have  a  busy  day  tomor- 
row, ' '  said  he,  turning  to  Abe  Lincoln. 

"Aye !  Aye !  And  opinion  has  been  agitating 
ever  since  Illinois  became  a  State;  a  sovereign 
State  it  is  at  that,  which  the  ordinance  of  1787 
should  restrict;  at  some  day  distant  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  will  debate  with  me  and  not  find  me 
wanting.  His  'squatter  sovereignty'  is  in  the 
embryo,  for  it  is  but  an  abrogation  of  the  Mis- 
souri Compromise. 

John  Quincy  Adams  once  presented  a  pe- 
tition of  more  than  100,000  free  men  and  the 
following  year  called  for  a  million.  England 
gave  $1,000,000  for  her  West  Indies  and  it  is 
for  such  a  point  that  the  Philanthropist,  the 
Liberator  and  the  Observer  are  so  industriously 
working.  Oh,  the  fearful  traffic  that  is  licensed 
under  the  shadows  of  the  Capitol  walls,  repre- 
senting 'force'  in  our  free  country! 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  147 

The  legislature  of  1822-3,  passing  its  reso- 
lution, was  voiced  by  its  people,  and  the  follow- 
ing year,  it  reached  far  into  history,  for  squat- 
ter sovereignty  was  then  promulgated.  In  my 
opinion  it  is  linguistic  drubbing  (a  sane  and 
sound  way -to  reach  the  masses)  that  lights  up 
the  pathway  of  life.  Liberty  might  constitute 
one  thing  needful  for  success,  which  after  all  is 
somewhat  cynical  when  it  says,  'Get  on,  get 
honor,  get  honest.'  " 

"You  are  holding  on  to  Christian  senti- 
ments, Abe." 

"I  am  only  holding  on  fast  to  what  has  been 
given  me,  Editor. ' ' 

Side  by  side  sat  these  two  men  both  with 
hearts  of  humanity,  but  neither  aware  that  one 
was  to  weld  the  instrument  and  the  other  to 
apply  it;  or  that  over  each  head  rested  a  shad- 
owy crown. 


A  few  days  later  Mr.  Lovejoy  overtook  the 
Kid-gloved  Leech  riding  on  well-drenched  sad- 
dle bags.  In  answer  to  a  query,  the  Leech  re- 


148  THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 

plied:  "I've  been  among  the  Camelites  and 
was  sound  asleep  coming  home  and  the  nag  took 
me  across  a  freshet  to  waken  me.  Mr.  Lovejoy, 
these  reformed  Shakers  are  a  dangerous  peo- 
ple ;  they  carry  the  softness  of  a  tarrying  John 
with  Peter's  coinage  of  words.  Their  mission 
is  to  save  men  from  the  sin  of  Adam  by  ar- 
ranged living.  They  need  a  strong  brew  of 
herbs  for  their  liver,  to  waken  them  from  their 
myths  and  traditions  by  which  they  hope  to  re- 
form the  world.  They  call  you,  Editor,  a  dis- 
turber. Tarry  not  among  these  people  for  they, 
will  bode  no  good. ' ' 

"Your  advice  comes  too  late,"  and  Mr. 
Lovejoy  related  the  rough  indignities  and  bru- 
tality of  a  few  days  since. 

* '  Our  young  men  should  disappear  for  three 
years  into  the  vortex  of  grinding  military  serv- 
ice. They  need  the  iron  hand  of  work,  though 
some  may  say  it  is  legalized  murder.  They 
would  then  fulfill  a  prophecy,  that  of  the  'sur- 
vival of  the  fittest. ' 

"Yes,"  mused  on  the  Leech,  "nature  only 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  149 

differs  in  seal  and  print,  for  it  daily  violates 
'Love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.'  " 

'  *  I  see  much,  hear  much,  know  much  of  life ; 
but  one  must  not  whisper  moral  and  political 
reform  to  death.  Time  will  cure  it  all.  Henry 
Clay,  from  a  hemp  country,  loves  protection. 
He  knows  far  better  than  the  majority  the  value 
of  the  social  and  economical  life  of  North  and 
South,  so  he  aims  an  arrow  at  willful  Carolina, 
as  an  example.  I  strongly  contend  that  fear 
rules  the  man  lower  down  on  the  ladder  of  life, 
and  that  the  past  holds  old  men  too  often  in  its 
grasp.  They  resemble  Moses  and  Aaron  in  no 
small  degree;  they  are  indifferent  to  political 
liberty,  saying  that  belongs  to  England,  but  its 
corner-stone  originated  in  France.  America  is 
America. 

Predigested  food  is  not  nourishing  in  the 
long  run  and  the  complex  question  of  the  day  is, 
who  will  tie  the  wheat  bag  at  both  ends,  know- 
ing such  an  act  will  breed  a  spirit  of  lawless- 
ness." 

"This  is  the  end  for  which  the  Observer 
works,  Leech;  its  subscription  already  reaches 


150  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

2,000,"  explained  the  Editor.  "Anti-societies 
show  the  country's  indignation,  and  Rev. 
Graves  is  eloquent  with  joy,  likewise  Jimmy 
Morgan,  Pappy  Beall,  Father  Sidway  and  the 
religious  Nancy  Braznell,  whose  church  work 
never  tires." 

"Squire  Brown  tells  me  my  peer,  Dr.  Will, 
though  a  humanitarian,  strongly  believes  in 
slavery,  though  he  says  color  of  skin  should 
not  make  a  man  a  chattel.  He  is  modest  enough 
to  run  his  own  distillery,  which  Father  Cart- 
right  calls  'Ezekiel,  eight  chapter.'  The  parson 
believes  in  people  searching  the  scriptures  and 
says  to  read  from  the  'seventh  to  the  tenth' 
verse  to  understand  the  gist. 

"Dr.  Will  is  a  disciple  of  the  Peruvian  bark 
and  also  itinerant  preacher,  if  needs  be.  He 
drinks  sage  and  sassafras  on  his  trips,  with 
seeming  relish  and  even  the  doleful  Camelites 
worship  him,  but  they  will  not  read  the  Ob- 
server." 

"But  American  citizens  are  eagerly  call- 
ing for  the  press  East  and  West;  they  want  to 
know  about  the  founder  and  apostle,  viz.,  Clay 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  151 

and  Webster;  what  Benton  is  doing;  what 
Calhoun  thinks.  Horace  Greeley  though  a  young 
lad  when  the  Missouri  Compromise  was  adopt- 
ed, has  the  brain  of  a  man  and  now  the 
New  York  Tribune  is  eagerly  read  by  the 
masses;  it  has  made  itself  a  needed  fact  and  its 
circulation  grows;  it  teaches  the  young  genera- 
tion how  to  unbuckle  the  shoes  of  slavery 
through  organization  and  the  studying  of  its 
requirements, ' '  replied  the  Editor,  parting  with 
the  Leech. 

Later  Congress  was  petitioned  to  listen  to 
the  views  of  religious  agitation;  then  it  was 
that  Asa  Turner  and  Edward  Beecher  converted 
many  into  the  way  of  right  thinking. 

"I  will  never  retract  one  word,"  wrote  the 
now  encouraged  Observer.  "I  will  follow  my 
course  and  go  on." 

One  David  Nelson,  a  fearful  apostle  of  the 
cause,  appointed  Owen  Lovejoy  to  take  up  his 
work,  should  he  be  overtaken  by  opponents. 
"Let  the  anointing  received,  abide  in  you;  ye 
need  not  that  any  man  should  teach  you,  for  the 


162  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

anointing  is  true  even  as  it  is  taught  you  by  the 
Yale  band." 

"  Truly  the  eyes  of  the  people  are  opening 
to  the  light." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  163 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

"God  is  that,  which  has  never  begun  to  be" 

—Old  Latin. 
"Flow  deeply,  broad  river,  among  thy  green 

banks ; 
Flow   deeply,   broad   river,   to    God   give   thy 

thanks ; 
Fair  Alton  doth  slumber,  lulled  sweet  by  thy 

stream ; 
Flow  deeply,  broad  river,  and  vision  her  dream. 

How  high,  verdant  Alton,  rise  thy  neighboring 

hills, 
Long  marked  by  the  traverse  of  flower  bordered 

rills 
Where   lovers   doth  wander,   when  the  moon 

rises  high 
To  tell  of  sweet  longings  by  the  glance  of  the 

eye. ' ' 

In  its  early  days,  Alton  was  a  town  of  home- 
spun and  Valencia.  Its  inhabitants  were  of 
that  lotus-eating  nature,  that  wander  carelessly 


154  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

through  forests  of  maple,  elm  and  oak,  or 
stoop  to  pluck  sweet  clover  ere  they  reached 
the  banks  of  the  mighty  Mississippi,  which 
the  Choctaws  called  ' ' Mishasipokani "  (Beyond 
the  Ages). 

The  myths  of  Alton  were  Ouatoga  and  the 
Piasa  Bird,  about  whom  the  grandsires  wove 
many  colored  yarns. 

Alton  held  many  religious  minds,  whose  off- 
spring could  conjugated  sin's  adjective  "idle- 
ness" glibly,  without  limiting  it. 

These  Jack-whet-stones  had  long  since  left 
Virtue's  path  but  were  considered  as  possible 
reforms. 

This  band  eagerly  sought  information  no 
matter  where. 

"Indulgence  can  no  longer  be  given  Bub 
Jones;  he'd  best  return  to  Pain  Court,"  ran  a 
public  placard  in  Hall 's  store.  With  hob  nailed 
boots,  Marseiles  vest,  and  kentucky  jeans  Bub 
Jones  read  as  he  ran,  but  the  spirit  he  left  be- 
hind him  boded  no  good,  for  he  had  many  imi- 
tators; and  to  show  their  bravado,  Jack- whet- 
stones sang  a  song  called  "Truth." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  155 

"Is  not  the  land  made  for  the  free: 

Te  he :  te  he : 
Our  pranks  are  open,  so  what  care  we ; 

Te  he:  te  he." 

Jack-whet-stone  also  had  a  secret  code,  at 
which  the  city  fathers  wrinkled  up  their  brows 
in  stern  reproval,  by  warning  some  favorite  son 
to  "keep  his  finger  out'n  th'  pie,  lest  he  pull 
out  a  thorn : ' ' 

Bub  Jones  was  the  devil's  helper  however 
and  carried  a  long  handled  spoon  of  gold,  which 
gossip  said  belonged  to  a  well  known  bandit  of 
the  south:  Tom  Paine 's  "Age  of  Reason" 
flourished  as  great  mental  food  and  '  *  The  Back- 
wood 's  Magazine"  was  full  of  pith,  if  point 
was  lacking. 

Many  a  parson  enlightened  his  audience  by 
reading  from  some  welcome  paper  the  news  of 
the  times  and  its  anticipations.  Eev.  Graves  ex- 
ploited such  a  message  from  the  Boston  Re- 
corder; "Enrich  Kingsbury,  pioneer  of  eastern 
Illinois,  says  by  all  means  to  preach  to  the 
negro,  and  he  will  soon  respond  in  moral  know- 


156  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

ledge  and  manhood.  Freedom  is  freedom's 
'sweetest  sauce.* 

Anthony  Benezt  of  France  and  Granville 
Sharp  of  England  once  cried  for  succor,  but 
their  cries  died  a  cat's  death.  So."  continued 
the  parson,  "up  springs  the  Observer  all  a- 
bristle  with  sharp  news." 

Having  thus  skillfully  brought  the  subject 
before  his  audience,  the  parson  allowed  time  for 
their  "Pros  and  Cons,"  then  cut  argument 
short,  by  broaching  religion,  to  wind  up  the 
meeting : 

"Now,  let  all  give  liberally  to  the  Lord,  for 
his  cause  is  good.  Amen, ' '  cried  he. 

While  he  was  lustily  singing  "Praise  God 
from  all  blessings  flow,"  his  deacons  passed 
their  hats  for  odd  coins  and  what-nots,  saying 
"th'  parson  is  well  primed  with  hog  an'  hom- 
iny hisself,  so  guv  ter  th'  lord  hisself." 

Having  collected  a  motley  array  of  contri- 
butions, the  Parson  announced  a  meeting  for 
the  following  week. 

"Rail-splitting,  barn-raising  and  wood- 
chopping  with  inter-sperse  hand-shaking  and 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  157 

praise."    His  audience  nodded  their  heads  ap- 
provingly. 

About  this  time  Alton  began  to  yearn  for 
the  State  capital,  which  was  denied  it;  but  the 
State  assigned  it  a  stone  penitentiary  skirting 

the  banks  of  the  river. 

/ 

This  site  was  most  accessable  for  escape  as 
was  proved  by  the  following  news  item:  " Es- 
caped— Maybe — 22  years  old,  white  when  not 
sunburned,  red  head,  when  not  shaved,  bad 
countenance,  seeing  it  has  been  well  poxed  with 
cow-pits.  Reward — 2  bushel  of  corn;  he  most 
likely  is  in  *  Paine  Court '  by  now ;  if  he 's  there, 
let  him  stay — he  jumped  in  the  river  and  es- 
caped. 

This  laconic  notice  is  a  "sufficient  hint;'' 
said  wise  heads.  "For  weuns  doan  need  no 
comstable  savin  David,  wen  he's  not  splittin' 
rails,  he  ken  dangle  law  enuff  fur  us,  we  prefur 
ter  eat  a  barrel  o'  salt  with  our  enemies,  while 
hopin  ter  reform  em." 

Fellows  in-law  Murdock  and  Linder  mildly 
acquiesced,  when  it  behooved  David  to  consult 


158  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Johnstone's  dictionary  on  law,  or  go  to  Deacon 
Long. 

But  it  soon  became  necessary  for  the  city  to 
have  a  mouth  piece  and  Mayor  Krum  of  St. 
Louis  was  called  to  be  Alton's  Municipal  father. 
He  was  a  man  of  most  polite  bearing  and  en- 
during patience ;  tho  an  Autocrat  he  was  not  an 
extremist,  for  Gamble,  Geyer  and  Lawless  had 
tutored  him  in  legal  byways;  he  was  therefore 
an  exponent  of  men  that  forced  respect  through 
legal  knowledge. 

His  maiden  speech  was  made  atop  a  deal 
table,  with  much  cheering  and  little  order. 

' '  Citizens, ' '  he  said :  ' 1 1  was  riding  the  cir- 
cuit not  long  since  as  judge  of  the  probate  court, 
Alton  then  only  boasted  of  1000  souls;  it  slept 
with  a  clear  conscience,  for  it  had  that  virginity 
of  mind  that  begets  mercy ;  it  had  no  bad  habits 
therefore  no  malice ;  such  was  the  peaceful  town 
of  which  I  am  now  Mayor. ' '  Now  may  I  declare 
"Let  sleeping  dogs  lie"  it  is  a  saying  well  worth 
some  thought,  for  disappointment  as  well  as 
praise  will  often  melt  a  medal  into  a  bullet; 
while  a  youth  may  become  an  inspired  Hannible 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  159 

or  a  Scipio,  the  adult  mind  knows  better  than 
to  rule  by  terror  or  inquisition;  he  rather  sug- 
gests instead  of  commanding;  we  elders  know 
that  honey  will  catch  more  flies  than  vine- 
gar, and  that  the  net  will  hold  large  flies  safely, 
whereas  the  small  ones  fall  through. 

Alton  is  still  a  small  town,  therefore  one 
constable  and  one  justice  will  suit  present 
needs."  Concluded  the  mouthpiece  of  Alton: 
Though  admitted  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  Mis- 
souri, Mayor  Krum  was  really  no  politician, 
since  he  failed  to  protect  his  office  by  the  safety 
of  a  council,  until  too  late.  In  this  neglect,  he 
thought  to  show  his  confidence  toward  the  mid- 
dle class  of  people. 

But  the  irony  of  fate  ever  casts  its  shadow 
before,  and  ere  long,  the  Mayor  beheld  idleness 
and  sloth  sapping  the  vitality  of  the  embryo 
citizens  to  such  extent,  that  he  wept  before  his 
neighbors  Willard  and  Clawson. 

"If  they'd  use  the  sixth  sense,"  urged  Dr. 
Stanton  who  dropped  in,  ''many  could  blot  out 
the  finger  prints  of  nature,  for  when  a  man 


160  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

blinks  he  then  begins  to  think,  and  'Think'  is 
the  sixth  sense." 

"But  five  is  a  fixed  and  sacred  number" 
answered  his  listeners  indulgently  humoring  his 
whim. 

"Read  the  Observer"  answered  he  "And 
wake  to  impending  danger  of  breeding  from 
lack  of  thought,  which  is  like  a  sun  dial,  it  casts 
a  long  shadow." 

"The  Observer  is  like  a  joke"  remarked  a 
smart  Yankee  present ;  "  It  is  probing,  pruning 
and  sawing  lumber  with  a  whip  saw,  and  a  joke 
is  an  instrument  with  which  a  whip  saw  cuts 
into  the  vitals.  It  would  make  this  world  a 
Golgotha  rejoicing  over  a  qoundam  heap  of 
skulls." 

The  time  seemed  now  ripe  for  Eev.  Beecher 
to  mount  the  pulpit  of  his  church  and  mention 
Colonization  and  Anti-slavery  societies  as  use- 
less adjuncts  to  the  mighty  cause  that  was  fear- 
lessly marching  on  its  way,  despite  the  talk  of 
two  brothers  of  the  cloth,  who  vigorously  railed 
at  the  Observer. 

The  Mayor  was  advised  to  have  arms  stack- 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  161 

ed  outside  Uriah  Rector's  house  to  be  ready 
for  action  as  the  question  reverted  once  more  to 
the  main  motion  "Shall  the  press  be  taken  to 
Quincy?" 

"I  have  sworn  eternal  opposition  to  slavery 
and  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I  will  never  retract 
one  word ;  as  long  as  I  am  an  American  citizen, 
as  long  as  American  blood  flows  in  my  veins, 
I  shall  hold  myself  at  liberty  to  speak,  write  or 
publish  whatever  I  so  will  on  any  subject,  be- 
ing amendable  only  to  the  laws  of  my  country 
for  the  same.  Should  the  press  be  again  des- 
troyed, it  can  be  reset;  America  is  not  a  modern 
Pharaoh ;  it  is  not  deaf  to  the  voice  of  Justice. ' ' 

Scathing  remarks  began  to  run  rampant  and 
the  scum  of  the  people  eagerly  held  its  dregs  to 
the  lips  of  respectability  crying: 

11  Drink  and  in  its  lees  behold  the  course  of 
evolution:  the  ape,  the  baboon,  the  negro,  the 
quadroon,  the  octoroon;  here  this  family  ends, 
while  the  white  race  has  always  begun  to  be." 

Every  wood  pile  held  an  impromptu  orator, 
every  corner  its  Socrates,  the  taunts  of  a  Cicero 
became  public  food  upon  which  many  frenzied 


162  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

families  grew  gaunt  through  neglect;  while 
their  belligerent  sires  fed  well  on  revenge  brew- 
ed from  drink. 

Into  the  once  peaceful  sheep-fold,  there  had 
crept  the  grim  wolf  " Intolerance,"  for  the  shep- 
herd of  the  fold  was  sleeping  and  the  beautiful 
theme  of  brotherly  love  as  preached  by  Dr. 
Nelson  became  but  a  lost  phantasy. 

About  this  time,  the  voice  of  heaven  thun- 
dered in  the  invention  of  the  "Cotton-gin;" 
A  prophet  had  arisen:  territorial  laws  of  1807 
were  vigorously  hunted  up  "the  slave  was  en- 
tailed property,  their  bondage  was  irrev- 
ocable. ' ' 

Should  this  giant  of  Alex  Whitaker  be  al- 
lowed to  walk!  but  "The  Fifth  Seal"  had  been 
broken,  and  like  Luther  at  the  Diet  of  Worms, 
Elijah  Lovejoy  felt  the  scales  of  justification 
balanced  heavily  on  value. 

"As  Pinkney  cried  to  Maryland  in  1789;  I 
will  not  retract;  for  no  master  has  a  right  to 
hold  his  slave  in  bondage;  the  Revolution 
gave  all  people  Freedom  on  American  soil,  re- 
gardless of  color." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  163 

In  this  speech  did  Mr.  Lovejoy  pass  the 
psychic  line  separating  Emancipation  from 
Abolitionism1? 

He  visited  the  celebrated  Yale  Band,  where 
he  again  encountered  the  problemic  Abe  Lin- 
coln; like  ships  passing  in  the  night  each  salut- 
ed, with  hand-clasps;  thus  it  is  that  soul  ever 
cements  soul  in  a  sacred  cause. 

Anti-Slavery  societies  and  Friends  of  In- 
quiry sprang  up  spontaneously  throughout  Illi- 
nois. The  latter  expounded  the  laws  to  whom- 
soever sought  knowledge. 

Rev.  Beecher  was  besought  to  head  this  lat- 
ter society  and  many  commended  his  considera- 
tion, inasmuch  as  many  citizens  hesitated  to 
jeopardize  their  lives  by  becoming  voluntary 
commentators  on  the  slave  question. 

They  saw  in  Mr.  Lovejoy,  a  life  dedicated  to 
the  Ideal  of  Liberty's  best  product,  but  could 
they  roll  away  that  big  stone  called  "Lax  Law" 
which  many  a  Divine  had  chiseled  with  stern 
assiduity? 

An  evening  paper  wrote : 

"Christianity    never    makes    a    change    of 


164  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

heart,  it  is  the  spirit  and  Understanding  of  the 
scriptures  that  says  'Believe  and  them  shalt  be 
saved. '  Is  not  that  law  enough.  Boil  and  bub- 
ble, simmer  and  skim,  until  the  appetite  wets 
for  more.  Is  life  just  a  witches  broth,  after  all 
because  flame  points  beneath  turn  it  into  human 
gore  ? ' ' 

Do  not  those  who  tread  the  winepress  of 
sorrows  with  tireless  feet  alone,  know  the  great 
secrets  of  life.? 

This  argument  appealed  to  many  staunch 
men  who  called  a  meeting  and  created  the  fol- 
lowing resolution:  "Resolved  unanimously, 
that  should  any  party  or  set  of  men  infringe 
upon  the  peace  of  the  public  between  the  ad- 
journment and  reassembling  of  any  meeting, 
we  the  citizens  will  aid  to  the  utmost  in  main- 
taining the  law. ' ' 

"Will  these  resolutions  be  interpreted 
aright?"  asked  Mr.  Gilman,  upon  reading  this 
report.  "I  know  Joel  Parker,  Rev.  Hogan  and 
Rev.  Peck  were  there  to  exploit  the  value  of 
the  law,  since  they  always  declared  that 
church  and  state  should  never  unite;  can  this 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  165 

be  a  veiled  attack  upon  the  moral  reform  now 
sweeping  over  the  country. ' '  Though  all  prayer 
meetings  gathered  together  many  craven  spirits, 
whose  sullen  countenances  bespoke  the  lack  of 
God  within,  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  scriptures 
remained  unchanged;  for  as  leaves  often  hide 
fruitage,  so  the  personality  of  God  and  man, 
differ  only  in  their  earthly  degree.  Mr.  Love- 
joy  was  chosen  as  a  divine  instrument  to  break 
the  Fifth  Seal.  Eev.  Graves,  a  close  friend  of 
the  Editor,  beheld  many  young  men  becoming 
cats-paws  of  evil  men ;  handbills  of  inflammable 
nature  were  scattered  around  by  men,  who  could 
neither  read  nor  write,  on  their  way  to  work. 
This  was  used  as  pretext ;  for  upon  reproaching 
these  citizens,  Rev.  Graves  discovered  no  evil 
intention  in  their  act.  ' f  See  yon  rat  hole, ' '  said 
he  by  the  way  of  example ;  "  It  catches  many  a 
foot." 

"Aye  Sir,  but  weuns  ar'  poor,  an'  must  hu- 
mor th'  rich,  though  in  ourn  opinion  they'd  dis- 
grace a  pigsty." 

"You  are  primitive  Christians  though  and  I 
advise  you  not  to  peer  into  rat  holes  while 


166  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

drinking  your  pint  measure  like  yonder  loafer, 
who  goes  by  singing,  'I  Want  to  Be  An  Angel,' 
taught  him  in  childhood,  with  no  sacred  mean- 
ing whatever." 

"When  the  tea-cup  usurps  the  wine  cup, 
then  only  will  God  reign  upon  earth,"  mused 
the  good  Parson,  going  on  his  way  thoughtfully. 

In  one  hand  the  Parson  carried  a  tract  is- 
sued by  a  leading  Divine,  who  thus  hoped  to 
reform  the  many  human  leeches  that  crawled 
up  healthy  vines  like  caterpillers,  only  to  de- 
stroy life. 

How  like  lampreys  ever  sticking,  but  bit- 
ing like  fleas  are  all  jugglers  of  politics;  yet 
history  hands  down  to  us  that  beautiful  inscrip- 
tion hung  in  Exeter  Hall;  "Fate  has  ever 
proven  that  the  good,  the  true,  and  the  beautiful 
will  always  be." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  167 

CHAPTER  XV. 

"/£  thundered  cmd  the  people  said  an  angel 
spake. ' ' — Holy  scripture. 

Since  appreciation  of  American  citizenship 
impelled  freedom  and  inspired  independence, 
Mr.  Lovejoy  did  not  misconstrue  their  relation- 
ship in  being  aught  but  righteous. 

Virginians  called  abolitionists,  nullifiers; 
and  nullifiers,  secessionists. 

"Who  will  plow  our  fields,  hitch  up  our 
hosses;  free  the  slave,  huh!  he'll  no  longer 
work,  he'd  be  but  an  empty  sack." 

Thaddeus  Stevens,  strong  in  the  theory  of 
legislature  and  constitution,  bought  a  country 
for  the  slaves,  but  would  they  go  hence!  Like 
many  he  posed  as  an  anti-slavery  whip,  while 
daily  thanking  God  that  Gutenberg  invented 
printing,  so  that  knowledge  could  be  spread 
broad-cast,  like  seed  upon  Egyptian  soil.  Thus 
he  hoped  to  exploit  himself  as  an  auxiliary,  be 
whatever  way  politics  might  take  its  turn. 

This  reminded  Virginia  that  it  did  not  mind 
a  bit  of  slander,  for  it  knew  neither  congress 


168  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

nor  yet  legislature  could  liberate  the  slave  with- 
out violating  the  constitution. 

It  behooved  Calhoun  at  this  time  to  add  a 
postscript  to  her  thought : 

"  Congress  can  not  pass  a  law  abolishing 
slavery  in  the  district  of  Columbia ;  but  in  order 
to  survive,  the  Union  must  secede ;  this  thought 
opened  up  Pandora's  box,  letting  out  the  mil- 
itary form  of  the  great  Thos.  Benton,  whose 
tones  of  thunder  sounded  far  and  near. 

"How  dare  you  try  to  dry  up  the  marrow  of 
our  country,  because  of  fiery  disappointment. 
Havoc!  I  cry,  let  loose  the  dogs  of  war."  To 
this,  Calhoun  assidiously  replied: 

"I  am  no  traitor  to  my  country,  when  I  de- 
clare its  future  belongs  to  the  Abolitionists! 
oh !  my  country  my  country ' '  he  cried  dramati- 
cally launching  forth  in  fiery  protest :  "Slavery 
is  a  State  Institution,  with  which  the  Federal 
government  should  never  meddle ;  mechanics  and 
artisans  are  the  enemies  of  slavery:  Annex 
Texas  to  strengthen  the  Union  and  forsooth  the 
South :  know  you  not,  that  a  Republic  falls  when 
slave  and  free  states  are  equal?" 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  169 

Having  so  declared  himself,  the  great  Nulli- 
fier  grew  shadowy,  for  at  this  period  Webster 
and  Clay  were  clasping  hands  over  the  presi- 
dential chair,  and  disappointment  stalked  their 
way. 

Then  it  was  that  Mr.  Webster  sought  his 
Ohio  farm  and  later  passed  on  to  St.  Louis. 
This  dark-browed  disciple  of  Hamilton, 
wished  to  see  with  his  own  eyes  the  human 
traffic  menacing  the  West.  In  Lucas'  Grove, 
he  had  ample  magnitude  to  view  a  mighty 
carousal  that  brought  from  the  country, 
far  and  near,  a  mass  of  motley  people.  The 
great  Orator  was  duly  impressed  by  the  law  of 
evidence,  that  threaded  each  life  with  its  rotten 
warp;  this  warp  was  not  alone  poverty  of  un- 
derstanding but,  poverty  of  moral  fitness. 

"But  I  bless  the  military  chair  for  tying  the 
bag  at  both  ends,  in  order  to  give  the  appear- 
ance of  prosperity,"  said  he  reflectively.  "If 
Virginia  would  come  under  the  code  of  1789, 
the  West  would  envalue  itself. 

Only  ten  years  ago,  since  the  Pioneer  came 
on  flat-boats  from  Pittsburgh ;  and  now,  the  'Lin- 


170  THE  FIFTH   SEAL. 

dell'  floats  gaily  bedecked  with  travelers  to  this 
new  West;  its  Captain,  an  Englishman,  has 
grown  rich  through  slave  trade ;  he  is  said  to  be  a 
kind  man  to  them;  well  do  I  recall  the  time  when 
New  York  adopted  the  constitution,  and  that 
vivid  spectacle  of  ten  white  horses  drawing  its 
ship  of  state  through  muddy  streets.  Tri- 
umphant New  York  bowed  her  head,  as  thirteen 
clocks  chimed  in  unison  and  great  was  the  re- 
joicing that  no  longer  need  she  make  sugar  out 
of  hickory.  Today,  America  will  not  coun- 
tenance a  King  George's  profligacy,  though  it 
strives  to  variegate  the  color  of  the  West." 

It  was  indeed  true  that  the  West  was  chis- 
eled out  by  a  sculptor  known  as  twenty-six 
states  to  pay  off  the  revolutionary  debt. 

Now  Dan'l  Webster  had  great  persuasive 
powers,  and  though  of  far  weaker  will  than 
Henry  Clay,  he  was  a  greater  expounder  of  the 
truth;  he  impressed  the  masses  through  his  in- 
nate knowledge,  into  thinking  his  way.  His 
tones  mellowed  or  thundered  their  way  into  the 
hearts  of  listening  people;  he  never  ridiculed 
the  less  informed,  for  he  recalled  his  own  days, 


THE  FIFTH   SEAL.  171 

when  he  was  a  butt  of  ridicule.  He  believed 
firmly  in  the  proverb  of  Phillips  Academy: 
'  *  Never  muzzle  the  oxen,  when  they  are  press- 
ing out  the  corn. ' ' 

So  he  spoke  with  the  back-woods-man,  as  a 
man  who  would  never  retract,  though  the  back- 
woods-man might  carry  the  tooth-pick  of 
"Coligny"  twixt  tooth  and  tooth  with  great 
distinction,  as  to  purpose.  An  unkempt  philo- 
sopher like  John  Rifle,  though  hard  and  horny 
of  hand,  could  plant  the  seeds  of  agitation  with 
great  wholesome  truth,  and  a  descendent  of 
Moses  Embree,  could  write  sharply  upon  the 
labor  question,  knowing  that  thousands  toiled 
on  in  economic  labor.  Mr.  Webster  also  held  a 
timely  letter  sent  by  Mr.  Cheny  advocating  the 
sale  of  public  lands  to  be  used  for  the  purpose 
of  the  liberated  Slaves  of  America. 

"But  the  time  is  not  ripe,"  cried  Mr.  Web- 
ster. "America  cannot  afford  to  pay  millions 
for  her  slaves  as  England  did.  The  son  of  Ham 
is  worth  more  bound  than  free;  politicans  are 
now  agitating  this  question,  and  though  their 
conscience  suffers  greatly  from  it,  they  cannot 


172  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

coerce  silence;  I  know  of  nothing  in  the  consti- 
tution that  will  stop  the  explosion  that  ever 
follows  Truth." 

Mr.  Webster  was  most  conversant  with  all 
ethics  pertaining  to  industrial  government;  he 
knew  the  times  were  full  of  pummelling  and 
force ;  when  the  rabble  shouted  *  *  Settle  things, ' ' 
he  knew  it  meant  the  knife,  followed  by  the 
requiem  of  "God  rest  his  soul." 

Did  Mr.  Webster  in  his  own  hour  of  disap- 
pointment realize  Pompey's  sad  feelings,  in 
these  words:  "More  worship  the  rising  than 
the  setting  sun." 

Mr.  Webster  passed  over  into  Illinois,  de- 
spite Thos.  Lippincott's  fiery  hand-bills,  where 
he  interviewed  the  famous  Yale  Band  on  the 
wording  (as  they  understood  it)  of  the  constitu- 
tion. As  a  result  of  this  visit,  Mr.  Webster  was 
as  widely  quoted  as  was  Father  Cartright: 
"fur  he's  better  eddicated,"  said  the  back- 
woodsman. 

It  was  indeed  true  that  Webster's  great 
Hanover  speech  was  as  a  mole  hill  to  his  later 
profundity  of  thought. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  173 

About  this  time,  Abe  Lincoln  was  forking  hay 
equal  to  six  men  and  also  stumping  the  country 
and  eating  mince  pie;  His  wit  and  wisdom 
caused  Billy  Green  of  New  Salem  to  declare: 
"When  Abe  comes  into  his  own,  I  shall  carve 
his  profile  on  yonder  oak  tree  to  commemorate 
the  North,  leaving  space  on  the  South  for  his 
opponent. ' ' 

Knowing  that  early  St.  Louis  believed  more 
in  Tom  Paine  than  the  Bible,  it  is  probable,  that 
Mr.  Webster  failed  utterly  in  his  endeavor  to 
locate  Satan  during  his  western  tour,  for  the 
anti-slavery  societies  were  busy  during  that 
time,  and  the  fiat  of  "Hard  times"  had  sent 
forth  this  cry;  "Flour  $15  a  barrel;"  "Pork 
$10  hundred  weight;"  "agriculture  devoid  of 
results."  Men  were  busy  spoutin'  politics,  in 
their  mad  hunt  for  the  rainbow  of  pottage; 
simplicity  of  living  was  a  well  known  fact  to 
the  "Liberty"  meeting  held  in  the  "Lord's 
Barn"  in  Quincy,  where  the  Yale  Band  organ- 
ized as  best  they  could  their  famous  c '  Epoch  of 
Reform"  throughout  the  State  of  Illinois. 

Farmers  grew  skeptical  as  to  an  untimate 


174  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

living  for  their  families.  It  was  "Talkin',  talk- 
in',  here  there  and  everywhere."  They  desired 
a  mouth-piece,  that  would  know  how  to  express 
their  best  wishes;  "Abe  Lincoln  shall  be  the 
man,  for  Ninian  Edwards  is  no  longer  on 
earth. ' '  But  Abe  Lincoln  begged  them  '  *  not  to 
let  the  mildew  rust  plow  nor  pick,  because  Eng- 
land was  sending  over  cheap  products." 

Flaming  hand-bills  announced  this  speech  of 
Lincoln's  called  "The  Economy  of  Labor." 

* '  An  sich  talk,  I  never  hope  ter  hear  agin : ' ' 
quoth  the  farmer  fondly. 

1 '  Full  o '  labor  and  capital,  wage  an '  profits : 
an'  after  mixing  it  up  well,  he  called  it  the 
'Health  of  agriculture,'  which  makes  the  rich 
man  richer,  an'  by  jove  th'  poor  man  poorer. 

He  reminded  us  thet  manuf acturin '  blotted 
out  th'  cabin,  but  replaced  it  with  a  mansion: 
then  as  a  pacifier  he  said ;  but  who  ken  discern 
th'  taste  o'  racoon  from  thet  o'  lamb,  when  th' 
results  ar'  th'  same." 

So  the  Sangamon  farmer  hunted  up  his 
American  Precepter  and  read  B  u  n  y  a  n  '  s 
"Ladies  Accident;"  saying  they  were  "neces- 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  175 

sary"  adjuncts  of  a  home;  then  for  educa- 
tional advantages  gained  through  daily  news, 
he  subscribed  for  the  paper  edited  by  Mr.  Love- 
joy. 

Did  not  this  paper  crystalize  the  spirit  of  the 
West,  as  did  the  Liberator  of  3oston,  The 
Philanthropist  of  Cincinnati  and  the  Emancipa- 
tionist of  New  York? 

Quincy,  Galesburg,  Waverly,  Pleasant 
Groves,  Washington,  Sand  Prairie,  Peoria, 
Fairfield,  Springfield,  Tarrytown,  Pekin,  Jack- 
sonville and  Alton  met  in  a  mighty  convention 
October  26,  1837. 

Nut-shelled  the  gist  of  this  meeting  might  be 
sized  up  thus:  " Human  rights,  the  removal  of 
the  Press,  the  right  of  exercising  moral  influ- 
ence. '  * 

This  noteworthy  convention  was  opened  by 
Mr.  Lovejoy  himself,  while  Eev.  Blackburn  act- 
ed as  Chairman,  with  Eev.  Graves  chosen  as 
Sec'y  pro  tern. 

After  earnest  prayer,  the  meeting  declared 
its  principles. 

"The  system  of  American  slavery  is  a  stig- 


176  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

ma,  and  we  must  co-operate  together  in  ex- 
punging it  from  our  country's  records." 

Sixteen  counties  enrolled  and  discussion  was 
conducted  by  parliamentary  procedure.  Rev. 
Beecher,  Mr.  Turner  and  Mr.  Linder  were  ask- 
ed to  appoint  a  committee  on  convention  work. 
The  Friends  of  Inquiry  running  through  its  mo- 
tive, reported  thus:  "Resolved  that  Congress 
has  no  right  to  abolish  slavery,  the  legislature 
in  any  state  has  no  right  to  emancipate  the  slave 
without  knowing  that  municipal  regulations  dif- 
fer in  every  state.  Abolishment  of  slavery 
means  civil  war." 

Mr.  Linder  moved  for  a  committee  of  the 
whole,  and  thus  gave  all  citizens  a  chance  to 
talk;  the  result  showed  nine  resolutions  were 
then  open  for  discussion;  of  which,  the  second 
mentioned  the  slave  as  private  property,  for 
which  compensation  should  be  paid,  if  liberated ; 
basing  this  privilege  upon  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  United  States. 

Did  Illinois  hold  a  curative  legislation  for 
its  slave-holding  sister  state  "Missouri?" 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  177 

"Should  Mr.  Lovejoy  longer  associate  him- 
self with  Alton  newspapers?" 

These  questions  were  asked  by  a  kinsman  of 
Ninian  Edwards  and  ably  seconded  by  Mr. 
Linder,  whose  slanted  eye-brows  bespoke  ap- 
proval: " Shall  we  put  it  to  vote?"  casting  a 
cutting  glance  in  Eev.  Beecher's  direction: 

"  There  stands  a  churchman  and  a  patriot 
too,"  for  he  knew  this  gentleman's  attitude  to- 
ward right  and  apprehended  it  by  adding: 

''But  he  belongs  to  Morgan  County." 

"True,"  replied  the  pastor,  "but  common 
consent  should  ever  carry  weight  in  Illinois,  if  it 
voices  the  Will  of  the  people. 

"But  according  to  legal  procedure  you  can- 
not vote  in  this  county. ' ' 

This  was  followed  by  remarks  about  Mr. 
Lovejoy  falsifying  his  original  contract  when  he 
came  over  into  Illinois. 

"Pooh!  gentlemen  his  paper  is  like  a  scorch- 
ing iron  and  causes  much  spleen ;  I  say  let  law- 
yers to  their  quarrels  and  preachers  to  their 
people's  sins,"  cried  an  angry  voice. 

This  interruption  did  not  interfere  with  the 


178  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

lawyer's  remarks  in  the  least,  for  he  calmly 
went  on: 

"The  interests  and  privileges  of  all  citizens 
appeal  to  me  for  it  is  through  their  quibbles 
and  combats  that  I  have  discovered  that  the 
greatest  maximum  of  calculation  is  quite  as  im- 
portant as  a  minimum  of  error:  'I  find  the 
abstract  principles  of  Jeffersonian  theories 
greatly  affect  the  intellect  of  those  not  trained 
to  counselorship,  by  any  far  fetched  decision  of 
an  editorial  column  as  viewed  by  their  august 
eyes,  while  the  stump  claims  still  smaller  privi- 
leges. Let  Mr.  Lovejoy  speak  again." 

"In  Jefferson's  speech,  behold  the  picture 
of  the  half  bleached  face  of  the  slave,  called 
Amalgamation.  Was  he  considered  a  fanatic, 
because  he  dared  to  prophesy ;  this  fact  *  I  trem- 
ble for  my  country,  when  I  consider  God  is 
just  and  that  justice  never  sleeps;'  numbers, 
nature  and  natural  causes  all  will  revolve  the 
wheels  of  time  until  the  stiuation  will  prove  the 
Justice  of  God's  law.  I  therefore  strongly  re- 
spect constitutional  laws." 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  179 

This  reply  did  not  prove  that  Mr.  Love- 
joy  was  full  of  colonial  bigotry,  because  he  quot- 
ed political  science  to  abet  his  cause.  Should  the 
Editor  be  put  into  a  straight  jacket,  because  he 
had  become  like  a  pillar  of  fire  f 

Much  confusion  as  to  promulgated  ways 
arose  and  it  remained  for  the  Mayor  to 
quell  the  turmoil  by  cries  of: 

"Peace!  Don't  let  agitation  grasp  the  city; 
social,  pecuniary  and  political  influences  will 
protect  the  South,  though  it  feels  much  duty  is 
owing  the  North. 

Public  opinion  is  ever  the  weight  of  balance, 
but  should  it  revise  the  constitution  in  order  to 
reflect  the  spirit  of  1778." 

It  was  true  Capitol  controled  the  Negro, 
whose  fear  beset  life  reached  far  back  into  the 
lion-hunted  forests  of  Africa,  fully  one  thousand 
years,  when  personal  safety  was  his  only 
asset.  Priests  of  cotton  were  despots  of  the 
whip,  who  knew  that  every  spike  driven  into 
southern  soil  meant  a  nail  in  the  coffin  of 
slavery. 

Rev.  Beecher  arose  and  pleaded  like  a  mod- 


180  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

ern  Simonides  for  the  Cross :  '  'Let  not  the  river 
of  agitation  sink  into  the  significance  of  a  creek ; 
keep  the  down-trodden  slave  in  ignorance  and 
he  will  be  devoid  of  conscience,  he  will  also 
know  no  law."  Many  stool  pigeons  stood  far 
back  blinking  like  catamounts,  and  declaring 
Mr.  Lovejoy  to  be  but  a  pliant  tool  of  the  East. 

"I  fear  his  work  will  only  quicken  after  his 
death"  remarked  a  brother  in  cloth  sadly. 

Many  white  people  of  the  flesh  eating,  whis- 
key-drinking tobacco-chewing  class  drifted  into 
hear  these  men  plead  the  Editor's  cause,  but 
their  faculties  were  stunted  by  riotous  living 
and  they  were  too  strongly  swayed  by  their 
ponderous  leaders  to  heed  aught  but  the  will  of 
self. 

During  one  of  these  meetings,  when  words 
burned  deeply  into  the  cause  of  right,  a  man 
entered  who  was  looked  up  to  with  much  re- 
spect as  to  opinion:  He  claimed  to  be  a  great 
friend  of  Mr.  Love  joy's  cause. 

When  the  audience  was  urged  to  join  the 
Editor's  cause,  this  man  began  to  fumble  with 
his  kid  gloves  in  nervous  trepidation,  half  rising 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  181 

to  go  forward;  suddenly  he  sank  back  in  his 
chair,  his  countenance  bearing  the  look  of  one 
who  had  unexpectedly  plunged  his  foot  into  hot 
water. 

Had  Mr.  Lovejoy  not  been  a  man  of  great 
moral  courage,  he  would  have  succumbed  to  the 
shock,  of  seing  a  quondam  friend  deny  him 
succor.  "Tue  Quoque." 


182  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

"Yea,  tho  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadoivs,  I  will  fear  no  evil."  —Psalms. 
The  hour  was  late  yet  his  work  was  most 
pressing:      Mr.    Love  joy    looked    thoughtfully 
over  the  reports  of  a  meeting  held  at  the  home 
of  Mr.  Hulburt,  where  the  Illinois  Anti-Slavery 
Society  had  used  the  " preamble"  as  their  cor- 
nerstone. 

There  had  been  entered  in  its  minutes  the 
sentiments  of  the  Editor  and  the  names  of  the 
following  officers:  President,  Elihu  Wolcott, 
Jacksonville;  Vice-Presidents,  H.  Coomis,  H. 
Snow,  T.  Powell,  F.  Colt  and  A.  Russell;  Board 
of  Managers,  eight;  Executive  Committee,  five; 
Corresponding  Secretary,  Mr.  Lovejoy,  also  on 
the  Executive  Committee ;  Recording  Secretary, 
Mr.  Hulburt;  Treasurers,  T.  "Whipple  and  S.  E. 
Moore;  Signatures,  fifty-five. 

"Thus  is  fledged  for -flight,  God's  great 
work,"  whispered  the  Editor  to  himself. 
"Human  happiness,  primal  chastity,  control 
of  corporal  and  intellectual  powers,  esteem 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  183 

and  relation  of  legislatures;  all  are  subject 
to  the  Preamble  of  the  Constitution;  whereby 
the  most  high  God  hath  made  of  one  blood, 
all  men  who  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth;  so,  thought  Franklin,  framer  of  the 
Constitution;  so  thought  Jefferson,  author 


t.-c_^-    t     '-j^-^^^^.     •&4gjfr~-jMt-&^     £--t. 

-  ~ ' 


The   Hand-Writing  of  Elijah  Lovejoy. 

of  the  Declaration  of  Independence;  how  its 
morale  is  sweeping  the  East  through  the  con- 
servative 'Times,'  whose  blood-hounds  have 


184  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

long  sniffed  at  the  heels  of  slavery ;  lullabies  are 
murmured  by  various  hand  maidens,  since  the 
Tribune  began  to  weave  its  logic  in  with  a 
stronger  warp.  The  polar  needle  of  politics  has 
given  to  slavery  a  large  scope." 

In  his  span  of  tumultuous  life,  did  Mr.  Love- 
joy  give  to  his  associates  any  of  his  own  attri- 
butes or  did  he  crystallize  them  into  statues- 
que figures  with  no  red  blood  coursing  through 
their  arteries  ?  could  he  give  them  his  own  vital- 
ization  ? 

He  knew  that  all  Epochs  of  reform  were 
full  of  virile  men,  and  that  responsible  people 
sweetened  its  core. 

If  interests  failed  to  reconcile  collective  peo- 
ple, some  compromise  might  smooth  out  the 
difficulty:  he  knew  the  Observer  was  a  popular 
paper;  should  it  die  or  should  persecution  re- 
move it  to  the  center  of  the  State? 

Eeports  had  been  brought  him  of  a  mass 
meeting  held  far  out  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city, 
where  quavering  Grandsires  posed  as  speakers. 

"Woe!  woe!  is  hanging  over  the  fair  city  of 
Alton.  The  cry  o'  th'  Piasa  Bird  is  heard  again, 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  185 

an'  in  the  settin'  sun's  rays  behold  the  glitter  of 
its  crest;  the  press  is  too  alhirin'  fur  th'  young, 
they  learn  ter  catch  darkness  too  soon  by  th' 
throat,  without  bein'  eddicated  how  to  do  so. 
Tannin'  leather  is  a  trade  that  don't  require 
eddication,  but  weuns  ar '  covetous  ez  to  breed ; 
even  wen  th'  poor  law  of  1610  poured  emigra- 
tion into  America,  Virginia  elbowed  fur 
them  ter  cum  thar;  it  knew  Bachael  and  Leah 
would  git  ter  quarrelin',  an'  so  they  did,  but 
they  ended  it  all  by  passing  two  Indian  Arrows 
to  th'  king;  which  they  called  a  curtailed  ser- 
mon. Agitation  makes  us  old  uns  live  on  stubble 
instead  o'  corn." 

Then  cried  out  another  city  father  who  hap- 
pened in  there: 

"Why  harp  on  past  experience,  what  hap- 
pens to  the  wise,  also  happens  to  the  fool.  The 
laws  of  'Moses,'  suited  'Solon  and  suited  Jus- 
tinian and  Charlemagne;'  so  why  nibble  at 
things  afar  off.  It  is  not  hunger,  that  produces 
the  worker,  it  is  appetite;  the  young  ever  reviles 
religion  as  brambles,  and  Christianity  as  thistles, 
little  knowing  the  sting  is  the  same;  know  you 


186  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

after  every  forced  attendance  at  prayer  meet- 
ing our  youth  runs  swiftly  past  the  hitching 
posts  in  front  of  the  city  hall  crying  'They 
form  a  cross.'  That  is  the  working  of  their 
conscience,  is  all." 

In  the  quiet  of  that  night,  the  Editor  took  his 
pen  in  hand  and  wrote  a  fitting  response,  show- 
ing his  skill  in  clearing  vantage  ground  by 
subtiety. 

"That  the  child  may  become  father  to  the 
man,  by  explanation  means  that  education  is 
capable  of  restoring  mental  vigor,  such  as  all 
new  countries  require  in  order  to  progress.  So 
the  rank  and  file  of  humanity  require  perfect 
union  with  a  permanent  basis  of  sound  think- 
ing through  education. ' ' 

As  the  night  wore  on  apace,  the  world  grew 
very  still;  suddenly,  there  came  a  vigorous 
knocking,  and  without  ado,  the  door  was 
flung  violently  open,  and  two  men  stood  within ; 
their  appearance  was  most  evil;  the  Editor 
rose  up  in  great  apprehension,  asking  their 
mission. 

"We  are  Belle  and  Little  of  Mississippi  as 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  187 

you  know,  and  we  want  the  Press,"  answered 
the  spokesman  assuming  a  most  threatening 
manner. 

"The  press  is  not  here,  as  you  know." 

"We  ar'  white  like  yoursejlf,  and  won't 
longer  tolerate  amalgamation,  such  ez  you 
would  hev  our  families  labeled  with.  We  have 
been  lowered  by  you  cuttin  and  dryin  our 
course,  that  is  of  value  to  weuns,  if  we  holds 
fast;  we  want  the  press  an'  we  want  the  Editor 
too." 

Suiting  purpose  to  words,  they  grabbed  the 
Editor  with  unsteady  hands,  endeavoring  to 
drag  him  outside ;  but  his  lusty  cry  soon  brought 
a  house-guest  to  his  rescue;  there  was  consid- 
erable scuffle,  but  finally  the  two  men  succeeded 
in  throwing  the  drunken  men  over  the  door-sill 
and  barred  the  door;  shadowy  forms  immedi- 
ately came  forth  from  under  cover  and  a  torrent 
of  abuse  profaned  the  air  without;  with  derisive 
howls  the  gang  finally  left  the  vicinity  crying: 

' ;  The  Press,  The  Press,  to  the  river  with  the 
Press." 


188 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 


The  Last  Hand-Press  (Washington)  is 

a  Trophy  of  Alton,   Illinois. 
Recovered  by  the  Spark's  Milling  Co.,  1916,  Alton,  111. 

As  a  result  of  this  night's  ferment,  the  fol- 
lowing morning  showed  that  the  press  had 
again  disappeared.  Then  it  was  that  the  news 
went  forth  that  Editor  Lovejoy  had  handed  in 
his  resignation  to  a  morning  newspaper  of  the 
city. 

This  fact  was,  however,  nipped  in  the  bud 
by  a  brother  of  the  cloth  happening  in  at  the 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  189 

time  when  Joe  Brown  brought  the  message  to 
the  Editor,  who  sat  sorely  perplexed  as  to  what 
was  best  to  do. 

"Mr.  Lovejoy  shall  not  resign,"  said  this 
pastor  calmly,  *  *  his  paper  is  too  valuable  to  die, 
its  crucible  test  is  at  hand. ' '  So  saying  the  lat- 
ter coolly  pocketed  the  note. 

This  action  greatly  relieved  that  well-known 
Editor's  conscience,  for  he  was  rid  of  a  very 
disagreeable  duty. 

" So  be  it"  said  he.  Again  adorned  with  the 
glorious  robe  of  Solomon,  Mr.  Lovejoy  lifted  up 
his  head  explaining  tersely : 

"It  was  pressure  and  anxiety  for  my  family 
that  caused  my  act." 

"I  must  call  a  city  council,"  mused  the  May- 
or, pulling  his  long  nose  thoughtfully.  "There 
will  be  another  Press  forthcoming,  if  Mr.  Love- 
joy  can  stand  being  stoned  like  Stephen;  there 
must  be  newer  resolutions  formed  to  avoid 
cross-purposes  such  as  last  night  brought  forth ; 
though  I  must  say,  I  never  met  with  a  more 
gentlemany  set  of  rowdies ;  They  will  not  stand 
a  Socratic  questioning  however;  surely  my  bed 


190  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

is  not  one  of  roses;  but  I  shall  consult  friends 
first. " 

The  Mayor  seemed  in  a  quandary;  he  often 
appeared  reluctant  in  duty;  in  reality,  he  under- 
took to  do  individually  what  groups  should  do, 
not  realizing  that  he  should  never  seek  pater- 
nalism in  governing  a  people. 

To  forbid  and  to  permit  are  quite  important 
as  factors,  but  are  of  very  different  results. 


The  days  following  were  fraught  with  a 
panacea  of  political  anxiety,  such  as  determines 
all  final  disasters,  that  are  amenable  to  criminal 
laws. 

Citizens,  though  willing  to  reinstate  the 
Press,  murmured  hoarsely  about  fallacious  rea- 
soning; in  their  hearts  they  felt  that  it  was  by 
this  time  but  a  hydra-head  of  corruption. 

The  council  groaning  with  despair,  had 
hoped  Alton  would  become  a  Rock  of  Ages; 
finally  twenty-five  volunteers  came  forward  and 
offered  to  stand  guard  over  the  next  press.  Ad- 
vice floated  around  as  light  as  thistle-down ;  but 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  191 

the  gewgaws  of  ordinance  were  just  veneered 
dross. 

Jack-whet-stones  and  the  Hurrah  Boys 
sought  conference  together  with  no  interference ; 
their  numbers  grew  with  a  spontaneous  growth. 
Staunch  citizens  conferred  among  themselves, 
as  to  how  best  handle  civic  laws;  no  one 
seemed  to  have  energy  enough  to  declare  that 
legal  authority  must  be  installed  first. 

It  was  a  moment  fraught  with  future  am- 
bition for  Alton,  should  it  allow  the  Editor  to 
flee  like  Paul  before  Festus? 

Striking  conditions  had  selected  this  fair 
city  of  the  hills  to  become  a  leading  western 
metropolis;  the  city  had  awoke  from  its  leth- 
argy too  late,  albeit  through  altercation. 

The  edge  of  the  precipice  is  always  danger- 
ous, still  below  often  lie  fertile  pastures. 

How  many  often  speculate  as  to  chance,  even 
planning  routes  that  lie  only  on  paper,  forget- 
ting that  it  is  strategy  that  finally  wins  out. 

And  Alton  possessed  great  strategy  in  its 
frontier  life,  it  Indian  experience,  its  lesson 
from  its  woods,  its  swampy  sink-holes;  but  it 


192  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

was  most  unwise  in  the  selection  of  its  Lead- 
ers, which  fact  shattered  many  well-planned 
schemes.  The  times  hatched  out  a  Paradox. 
The  influx  of  wrong  population  was  a  despoiler, 
which  the  city  did  not  grasp  but  beheld  only,  as 
it  saw  fit.  This  Paradox  might  be  best  repre- 
sented as  a  "Floating  bridge."  What  might 
have  been,  occurs  to  many  cities  which  cease  to 
grow;  one  may  kindle  at  will  a  Spanish  air 
castle,  but  to  build  up  a  mighty  wall  or  create  a 
standing  army  requires  the  master  mind  of 
timely  men. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  193 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

"When  he  had  opened  the  'Fifth  Seal,'  I  saw 

the  souls  of  them,  That  were  slam  for 

the  word  of  God."— Rev.  6-9. 

The  melancholy  days  of  November  hastened 
toward  the  new  year;  its  dark  days  seemed  dis- 
tressed with  dubious  feelings;  The  situation, 
as  analyzed,  was  of  most  mighty  dimensions; 
the  fundamental  basis  of  constitutional  free 
speech  seemed  of  little  value  compared  to  the 
Will  of  the  majority:  in  cosmic  ignorance, 
Jack-whet-stone  gathered  up  sticks  and  stones 
one  dark  night,  and  many  citizens  wore  con- 
cealed fire-arms,  for  a  fiat  had  gone  forth. 
The  warehouse  of  Gilman,  awaited  the  arrival 
of  the  last  press,  around  which  was  soon  to  be 
twined  a  cypress  vine. 

"Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you 
and  persecute  you  for  my  sake,  for  so  persecuth 
they  the  prophets  of  old." 

"But  he  that  over-cometh  and  keepeth  my 
works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  power 
over  all. ' ' 


194 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 


11  And  when  he  had  opened  the  Fifth  Seal, 
I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that 
were  slain  for  the  word  of  God." 

Such  words  were  doubtless  felt  within  the 
hearts  of  the  twenty-five  noble  defenders  with- 
in the  warehouse  that  night,  who  were  willing  to 
risk  their  lives  as  a  testimony  of  Faith  in  the 
noble  cause  for  which  Mr.  Lovejoy  gave  his  life. 


The   Ware-House    on    the    Mississippi   Where    Mr.    Lovejoy    was 

Killed. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  195 

When  the  night  grew  late,  the  rabble  on  the 
river  banks  grew  larger,  until  to  those  who 
peered  out  of  the  warehouse  chinks  they  seemed 
but  a  collective  whole,  so  massed  together  were 
they.  The  brick  warehouse  standing  so  firmly 
on  the  north  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  presented 
such  a  well  fortified  front  on  the  east  and  north 
with  its  closed  shutters  and  solid  structure,  that 
those  within  felt  a  great  assurance  of  safety, 
though  they  kept  a  watchful  eye  without. 

"These  Sadducees  outside  are  servants  of 
the  evil  one;  for  a  servant  knoweth  not  what 
the  master  mind  doeth;  he  is  of  the  world,  and 
he  knows  that  evil  cannot  cloak  sin  in  the  light." 
So  saying  and  turning  away  from  his  volun- 
teers, Mr.  Lovejoy  inspected  the  fastenings  of 
the  door ;  while  there  he  heard  the  Mayor  vainly 
pleading  with  the  mob  without:  "Desist  I  beg 
of  you." 

"We  want  the  press,"  they  roared  back. 

"I  will  never  give  up  the  Press,"  shouted 
Mr.  Lovejoy  through  the  closed  door  to  those 
without:  his  words  seemed  to  add  further  fury 


196  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

to  the  now  maddened  mob,  who  howled  in  deri- 
sion. 

"  Brothers,"  cried  Mr.  Love  joy  to  the  de- 
fenders, "We  will  stand  as  the  Therraopyle  of 
American  freedom;  let  me  repeat  what  may  be 
my  epitaph: 

'Whether  on  the  scaffold  high, 

Or  on  the  battles  van ; 
The  noblest  place  for  man  to  die, 

Is  when  he  dies  for  Man.' 
Let  these  sentiments  linger  in  your  hearts  for- 
ever; and  herein  may  ye  bear  much  fruit,  for 
ye  have  glorified  the  father." 

"Gentlemen"  warned  a  loud  voice  from 
without:  "Save  yourselves,  save  yourselves." 

With  one  accord  the  defenders  rushed  to  the 
loft  where  the  odor  of  burning  wood  was  most 
apparent. 

"The  roof  is  afire"  cried  a  defender. 

"They  have  raised  ladders  to  the  roof" 
cried  another. 

"We  shall  be  caught  like  rats  in  a  trap" 
cried  a  third,  fearful  of  results. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  197 

Then  they  counciled  together  as  one  man, 
and  Mr.  Lovejoy  extolled  their  bravery  in  de- 
claring their  wish  to  remain  with  him  to  the 
end. 

"But  if  any  one  of  you  wish  to  depart,  you 
have  my  sanction." 

"We  will  remain"  cried  they  in  one  voice, 
and  like  faithful  mastiffs  the  men  awaited  fur- 
ther developments. 

"Defenders  of  Liberty,"  cried  their  Leader, 
* '  Should  the  work  which  I  have  begun  yield  to 
this  night's  pressure,  I  will  stand  by  the 
press  alone." 

A  fire  brigade  was  then  quickly  formed  and 
seizing  a  bucket  of  water,  Mr.  Lovejoy  as  leader 
ran  quickly  up  the  ladder  leading  to  the  roof 
and  successfully  reached  the  creeping  flames; 
then  he  turned  to  crawl  back;  but  the  fire  had 
gained  headway  and  was  greedily  licking  its 
way  windward  with  stifling  breath. 

Below,  the  mob  was  rushing  madly  to  and 
fro,  intent  only,  upon  doing  its  fiendish  work; 
their  number  was  constantly  increasing.  The 
whole  town  seemed  awake  and  gazing  like  a 


198  THE  FIFTH  SEAL. 

Nero  upon  the  burning  building,  wherein  were 
housed  the  faithful  few.  Suddenly  it  gasped  in 
horror,  for  against  the  blackness  of  the  heavens 
lit  up  by  advancing  flames  was  outlined  a  sil- 
houette, that  seemed  to  balance  itself  on  the 
peaked  roof.  It  was  the  Editor,  who  overcome 
by  his  efforts  rose  upright,  in  endeavoring  to  re- 
turn to  the  loft  door  in  the  roof. 

A  momentary  silence  ensued,  the  mob  stood 
at  bay;  then  like  the  fury  of  maddened  beasts, 
there  arose  a  howl  as  of  one  voice.  A.  howl  that 
only  sounds  its  master  tone — DEATH. 

A  shot  rang  out  on  the  midnight  air,  the 
shot  sought  its  target  with  faithful  aim ;  under 
the  cover  of  darkness,  a  coward's  hand  had 
pulled  the  trigger; 

"Whether  on  the  scaffold  high 

Or  on  the  battles  van; 
The  noblest  place  for  man  to  die, 
Is  when  he  dies  for  man. ' ' 

Wounded  unto  death,  the  Editor  painfully 
crawled  back  to  the  loft  opening,  where  friendly 
hands  quickly  drew  him  within. 

They  placed  him  beside  his  press. 


THE  FIFTH  SEAL.  199 

' '  Greater  love  hath  no  man,  that  he  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  brothers."  said  they  solemnly. 
In  the  faint  prayer  that  came  back,  ere  the 
Editor  breathed  his  last,  were  heard  these 
words:  " Father  forgive  them,  they  know  not 
what  they  do. ' ' 

"The  Editor  is  dead"  said  one  to  another  in 
awesome  whisper.  What  more  remained,  than 
to  open  the  door  and  exclaim  to  the  mob  with- 
out; "The  Editor  is  dead." 

So  great  is  the  dynamo  of  human  nature,  it 
often  becomes  just  mechanical  force ;  such  was 
no  doubt  the  effect  upon  the  mob,  that  had 
displayed  such  an  abnormal  hatred  of  a  Cause 
that  was  favored  by  a  Majority  Vote. 

"The  Editor  is  dead." 

A  roar  arose,  which  boded  no  good:  "The 
press,  the  Press."  "We  want  the  Press,"  and 
with  one  accord  they  rushed  within  the  opened 
doors  of  the  famous  warehouse. 

On  an  improvised  bier,  covering  a  secret 
trap  door  through  which  the  last  press  was 
thrown  into  the  river  and  known  to  but  a  few, 
lay  the  form  of  the  Editor,  cold  in  death. 


200  THE   FIFTH   SEAL. 

"He  gave  his  life  for  Freedom"  wept  his 
defenders,  and  even  now  in  death  he  keeps  the 
faith;  well  done  good  and  faithful  servant, 
whose  work  will  go  on." 

Thus  died  a  man  whom  the  state  of  Illinois 
venerated  many  years  later  by  erecting  a  hand- 
some marble  shaft  in  Alton  City  cemetery, 
given  to  Alton,  as  a  perpetual  burying  place. 
There  rests  the  body;  hither  his  spirit  calls 
annually  many  pilgrims  to  a  "Shrine  of  Free- 
dom." 

"Jacet  Hie  In  Pacem." 


For  many  years  the  Mississippi  River  held 
the  secret  of  the  press,  then  the  waters  divided 
and  from  its  turbulent  grave,  fragment  of  the 
Press  arose;  Alton  treasures  parts  and  The 
Chicago  Historical  Society  also  exhibits  parts, 
of  what  is  said  to  be  the  Last  Press  of  Elijah 
Parish  Lovejoy. 


All  Rights  Reserved 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


